What's This Babbler Trying to Say? (Genesis 11, Jeff Kliewer)

Cornerstone Church

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May 27, 2024

Sermon Notes: notes.cornerstonesj.org What's This Babbler Trying to Say?

07:32: Tonight, there will be a prayer meeting. There was some question about whether we'd still have the 6 o 'clock prayer meeting because of Memorial Day.
07:40: But we will have prayer meeting tonight, if you'd like to come back at 6 o 'clock. Maybe you've noticed, we have shifted from three opening songs to four.
07:51: Anybody notice? We're not conditioned for that. Our legs are not trained for four opening songs.
07:59: So Ron in the back, everybody see Ron in the back? Hey, Ron in the back. Ron's one of the deacons. He had the idea of printing song sheets for anybody that does struggle to stand that long.
08:10: Totally fine if anybody wants to sit down. The problem is if you sit down, you can't see past everybody to see the words.
08:17: So Ron has song sheets. And if you'd like one, you can just flag him down and he'll give you one. So you can sit for some of the songs if you prefer that.
08:26: Youth, the Sunday school class is underway. Now, if you were at a wedding last night,
08:33: I guess you have an excuse that you might not have been able to get out of bed. But there's no excuse for next week.
08:39: It'll be summer break before long. Kevin has done a great job preparing that. We are doing
08:45: The Case for Christ. It's during first service at 9 o 'clock. And some have asked, why did you schedule it for 9 o 'clock?
08:52: It's because we don't want people to skip church to go to Sunday school. So if you can get up at 9 o 'clock for church, you could do that for Sunday school.
09:01: But we don't want you switching one out. So please make the sacrifice, be strong and courageous, and get here at 9 o 'clock starting next week for The Case for Christ.
09:11: The next big event we have is a baptism service right out here on the church yard.
09:19: At the wedding yesterday, there was this Korean barbecue, chicken on a stick kind of thing.
09:27: Some fans of that. So I decided that we will commission them to bring that out for June 9.
09:35: Maybe add that to the debt. Is that Tom Ward? OK, ladies and gentlemen, Tom, come here for a second.
09:41: I'm sorry, this is just too big of a deal. So Tom became a deacon in April.
09:48: And the next thing I knew, I saw a Facebook post that he had gotten married in the Philippines by the end of that month.
09:54: Can you just share, where are you now? Are you here? Well, I was not expecting to say anything.
10:04: So basically, just to give a quick rundown, I did not actually expect to quite get married at that day either.
10:10: So it's been a running around different places in the Philippines to get proper documents. Had to go to the embassy to get paperwork showing
10:17: I've never been married in this side of the world. And then had to run around to different parts of the provinces in the
10:23: Barragas, different areas of governments to get different documents. Well, we finally get to the mayor.
10:31: And there's this interview I had to go through. Basically, so the state knows, which is beautiful by the way.
10:37: The Philippines really do consider a lot of things through a Christian lens, although they get a lot of things wrong. But they do look through a
10:42: Christian lens. They want to interview you to make sure that when you are getting married to the Filipino or Filipina, that it's with Christ, with that in mind.
10:50: Although, again, there's a lot they do wrong. But they said my date was going to be after my flight home.
10:55: And it costs quite a bit of money to get over there to begin with. So I wasn't going to be able to be there for that time.
11:01: And the mayor basically, without being verbatim here, said I can marry you right now. I have the authority. So we both considered it, both prayed on it.
11:09: And we thought that it would be good. Just we'll take the opportunity to do it there. And then once I'm re -established, yes,
11:16: I hope to move there, we will do a local wedding.
11:23: But yeah, that's the long and short stick of it, yeah. All right, well, when are you going back to the Philippines? So they're potentially by the end of this year.
11:33: So the job I have now is the big thing we're not going to leave behind. We're going to finish up the work, sign them out, just because it pays very well.
11:40: And that pay is going to be used to do investments to start various businesses over there. Like our father has a farmland.
11:46: They're not doing anything with it. So we're going to establish a few different things on that farmland. So we can also bring more employment to some of the local people, which is a big thing they lost a lot of employment in the generation left for the city.
11:57: Anyways, that will end in September. And then I have to wait two, three months for a spouse visa.
12:03: So December. OK. So we got you for the rest of 24, maybe. Yes. All right, let's pray for Tom and then open the service. Father God, we thank you.
12:10: You have done great things for us. We are filled with joy. Your word says, he who finds a wife finds a good thing and receives favor from the
12:18: Lord. And we thank you that Tom has found a wife. We want to pray blessing upon Tom and his bride, his wife in the
12:24: Philippines. We pray that while they're apart from one another in these early months of their marriage, that you would keep their hearts united as one in Christ Jesus.
12:33: That you would keep their hearts loving the Lord Jesus with all of their heart, soul, mind, and strength and bring them back together again in the
12:42: Philippines, Lord. We pray for Tom earning this money for the businesses that he plans to start, that the hand of your good favor would be upon this man, and that you would cause this work to prosper and his home to be built.
12:55: Lord, we thank you. You do some surprising things and marvelous things. Lord, we do not put you in a box.
13:01: We recognize that you are God, and your will is just marvelous, Lord. And so we thank you.
13:07: Thank you, Lord, for what you've done. And we pray blessing upon Tom, in Jesus' name. And now,
13:12: Father, we pray that we would worship you in spirit and truth, that you would fill us with your Holy Spirit, that you would help us to worship you now, in Jesus' name.
13:20: Amen. Amen. Thank you. Welcome back. And as we all stand, let's stand so we can sing.
13:27: This is 1 Peter 1 .8. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory.
13:39: Lord God, as we come before you with these songs of praise, Lord God, we do pray that you would fill us with joy inexpressible.
13:47: Lord, as we sing glory to your name, Lord God, that we sing of the great things that you have done.
13:54: We sing of Christ, our Lord, King of kings. Lord God, we give you all the praise and all the glory this morning.
14:15: Who tells the sun to rise every morning? Colors the sky with the shades of his glory.
14:26: Weeks of sweet mercy and love Jesus does.
14:36: Who holds the orphan and comforts the widow? Cries for injustice and feels every sorrow?
14:46: Carries the pain of his children, Jesus does.
14:55: So we sing praise to the Father who gave us the
15:01: Son. Praise to the Spirit who's living in us.
15:07: When I was a sinner, he saved me from who I was.
15:14: Cause that's what Jesus does. Who understands the heart of a sinner?
15:28: Showers his grace over all our mistakes. Washes us clean with his blood.
15:37: Jesus does. Yes, he does. Who sings a song of sweet forgiveness?
15:49: Who holds the keys to heaven and earth? Who has the power to save?
15:58: Jesus does. Yes, he does. So we sing praise to the
16:05: Father who gave us the Son. Praise to the
16:10: Spirit who's living in us. When I was a sinner, he saved me from who
16:19: I was. Cause that's what Jesus does.
16:30: Oh, what a friend. Oh, what a savior. He's always been good.
16:37: He's always been faithful. He came to my rest when
16:43: I needed him most. He saved my soul.
16:50: Singing, oh, what a friend. Oh, what a savior. He's always been good.
16:58: He's always been faithful. He came to my rest when
17:03: I needed him most. He saved my soul.
17:11: So we sing praise to the Father who gave us the
17:17: Son. Praise to the Spirit who's living in us.
17:24: When I was a sinner, he saved me from who
17:29: I was. So we sing praise to the
17:36: Father who gave us the Son. Praise to the
17:41: Spirit who's living in us. When I was a sinner, he saved me from who
17:49: I was. God, I know.
17:55: That's what Jesus does. Oh, what a friend.
18:09: We give you praise, God. We glorify your holy name, Lord. We thank you that when we were but sinners,
18:14: Lord, you pulled us from our death to life.
18:21: Lord God, you are worthy of every song of praise we could sing. There's peace at our last darkness and hope that's in the blood.
18:56: There's a future grace that's mine today that Jesus Christ has won.
19:07: So I can face tomorrow. For tomorrow's in your hands.
19:15: And all I need you will provide just like you always have.
19:26: And I'm fighting a battle you've already won.
19:36: No matter what comes my way,
19:42: I will overcome. Don't know what you're doing, but I know what you've done.
19:57: And I'm fighting a battle you've already won.
20:13: There's mercy in the wind, a battle for today.
20:24: But when it's gone, I know you're not. You are my hope and stay.
20:32: And when the sea is raging, your spirit is my help.
20:43: You fix my eyes on Jesus Christ. I see that it is well.
20:53: Oh, I know that it is well. And I'm fighting a battle you've already won.
21:08: No matter what comes my way,
21:15: I will overcome. Don't know what you're doing, but I know what you've done.
21:28: And I'm fighting a battle you've already won.
21:54: And I know how this story ends.
22:03: We will be with you again.
22:12: You're my savior, my defense. No more fear in life or death.
22:28: And I know how this story ends.
22:37: We will be with you again. You're my savior, my defense.
22:53: No more fear in life or death.
23:01: And I know how this story ends.
23:10: We will be with you again.
23:19: You're my savior, my defense. No more fear in life or death.
23:32: I know how this story ends.
23:38: And I'm fighting a battle you've already won.
23:48: No matter what comes my way,
23:54: I will overcome. Don't know what you're doing, but I know what you've done.
24:06: And I'm fighting a battle you've already won.
24:16: And I'm fighting a battle you've already won.
24:33: And I'm fighting a battle you've already won. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord, for the victory. Now in all these things, we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
24:46: For I'm sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of the
24:56: Lord God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen. As morning dawns.
25:17: And evening fades. You inspire songs of praise.
25:28: That rise from earth to touch your heart.
25:35: And glorify your name. Your name.
25:41: Your name. Is a strong and mighty tower.
25:48: Your name. Is a shelter like no other.
25:55: Your name. Let the nation sing it louder.
26:03: Cause nothing has the power to say. But your name.
26:23: Jesus, in your name we pray.
26:30: Come and fill our hearts today.
26:36: Lord, give me strength to live for you.
26:43: And glorify your name. Your name.
26:53: Is a strong and mighty tower. Your name.
27:00: Is a shelter like no other. Your name.
27:07: Let the nation sing it louder. Cause nothing has the power to say.
27:16: But your name. Oh. Jesus.
27:36: Jesus. Your name.
27:46: Your name. Is a strong and mighty tower.
27:53: Your name. Is a shelter like no other.
28:00: Your name. Let the nation sing it louder.
28:08: Cause nothing has the power to say. Your name.
28:14: Your name. Is a strong and mighty tower.
28:21: Your name. Is a shelter like no other.
28:27: Your name. Let the nation sing it louder.
28:34: Cause nothing has the power to say. Sing it out.
28:40: Your name. Your name. Is a strong and mighty tower.
28:47: Your name. Is a shelter like no other.
28:54: Your name. Let the nation sing it louder.
29:01: Cause nothing has the power to say. But your name.
29:42: Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
29:55: For the Lord God Almighty reigns.
30:01: Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
30:11: For the Lord God Almighty reigns.
30:17: Hallelujah. Holy.
30:24: Holy. Holy. Are you
30:32: Lord God Almighty. Worthy.
30:37: Worthy is the Lamb. Worthy is the Lamb. You are holy.
30:48: Holy. Are you Lord God Almighty.
30:58: Worthy is the Lamb. Worthy is the Lamb. Worthy is the Lamb. Amen.
31:08: Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
31:19: For the Lord God Almighty reigns. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
31:35: For the Lord God Almighty reigns. Hallelujah. Holy.
31:48: Holy. Holy. Are you
31:55: Lord God Almighty. Worthy is the
32:02: Lamb. Worthy is the Lamb. You are holy.
32:12: Holy. Are you Lord God Almighty.
32:21: Worthy. Worthy is the Lamb. Worthy is the Lamb. Worthy is the
32:26: Lamb. Amen. Amen.
32:44: You may be seated. Father God, thank you so much for what you've given us in this church.
32:50: These gifted musicians. These who love you and spend time practicing and preparing in order to lead your people in worship.
33:00: Lord, we pray continued blessing upon them. And we thank you for them, Lord. Help our hearts to be right in worship every time we gather before you,
33:09: Lord. And Father, now as we open your word, we pray for your precious Holy Spirit to come and fill every heart.
33:17: Teach us to see things your way. Give us your worldview through the hearing of your word in Jesus name.
33:24: Amen. I am completely convinced by the signs that I have seen.
33:32: That everything that this book says is true. That the word of God is to be believed.
33:39: Just to name a few of the signs that I have seen that have convinced me. Not to mention my own life.
33:44: That when I hear this word and obey it, I see the hand of God's favor and blessing. But objectively, to name a few of the signs.
33:54: The uncontrollable precision of prophecy. No one could control what
34:01: God has written. From Isaiah 53 and the telling of the Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world.
34:09: So many years before Jesus died. From Genesis 22 where Abraham brings
34:15: Isaac up that holy mountain carrying the wood of sacrifice. And the sun lays down.
34:22: Only a ram in the thicket would substitute for him in that case. All of these prophecies and images that point to Jesus Christ.
34:31: I am utterly convinced that the signs point to the reality of the truth of this word.
34:37: We have the testimony of eyewitnesses. Men who are willing to die for what they claim to have seen.
34:48: Laying down as martyrs having preached Jesus who was crucified and rose from the dead.
34:54: We have the very claim of Christ himself. Claiming to be the light of the world.
35:00: The good shepherd. The way, the truth and the life. Who talks like that unless he really is who he claimed to be?
35:07: Only a lunatic or a liar would say such things. But Jesus bears every hallmark of the
35:14: King of Glory. We have the very measurement of time itself.
35:20: The world divided between BC and AD based on the birth of this one
35:25: Jesus Christ revealed in this book. We have the testimony of John the
35:32: Baptist. Jesus had his own announcer. Who himself was prophesied in the
35:39: Old Testament to be the last of the Old Testament prophets. To introduce
35:44: Jesus to the world when he came. We have the miracles of Jesus. And no one ever denied that they had seen a miracle.
35:52: Even his opponents, his enemies claim that the power must have come from Beelzebub.
35:57: But they could not deny that the miracles happened. The opening of blind eyes.
36:04: Truly the miracles of Jesus attest as signs that this is a true book.
36:11: We have the Father's testimony. At Jesus' baptism a voice came from heaven.
36:17: This is my beloved son. On the Mount of Transfiguration the glory of Jesus was revealed and the
36:23: Father spoke again. And we have the empty tomb. You can go to the tombs of the other religious leaders of the world and find their bones.
36:37: But Jesus rose from the dead. And this testifies that he is the
36:42: Son of God. To these things and we talked about 30 evidences of that nature. When we studied
36:48: Doubting Thomas in John chapter 20. When we were studying through the book of John.
36:54: But to that this morning I would like to add another sign. Another sign that this book comes from God.
37:05: And that is in the creation mandate. God told the people to disperse.
37:12: To fill the earth and subdue it. But the people rebelled against God.
37:18: And instead gathered themselves in a place called Babel. And so what God did is he confused their language.
37:27: Sending them apart from each other. Speaking different languages. Moses records how this happened.
37:35: But listen to this. 1500 years later. A historian named
37:41: Luke. Writing the book of Acts. Tells us that God gave a gift of interpretation of languages.
37:52: In order that they would hear the mighty works of God. On the day of Pentecost.
38:00: Moses was 1500 years prior to Luke. And yet God brings all of this back together.
38:08: Then to send the gospel out. In pure speech to the nations of the world.
38:16: Proclaiming the king of kings. And uniting all peoples under one name.
38:23: The name of Jesus Christ. And I submit to you. When you see a connection like that.
38:28: An intricate connection. Of what God did with languages. In Genesis chapter 11.
38:35: And then later in Acts chapter 2. Bringing it all together. We are going to see today. That this bears the marks of one divine author.
38:46: The Bible was written by 40 different human authors. On three different continents.
38:53: Over 1500 years. But the unity of this book.
38:59: The way everything comes together. In one integrated whole. The peculiar glory of the
39:08: Bible. Testifies that it comes from God. Turn with me. To Genesis chapter 11.
39:16: To the story of the Tower of Babel. It's a story about pride. The heart of a rebellious people.
39:24: Setting themselves to make a great name for themselves. Not to exalt the name that is above every other name.
39:33: But to exalt their own names. And to the prideful. The gospel will sound like Babel.
39:41: We will see how there is a connection. Between what happens in Genesis 11.
39:48: And Acts chapter 2. But also in the preaching of the gospel. Because when you go out preaching.
39:55: A crucified Christ. The Son of God. Come in the flesh.
40:02: What you say to the world. Will sound like Babel. It will sound like foolishness.
40:08: To those who are perishing. But by the supernatural work of God. The miraculous work of God.
40:13: Giving ears to hear. Many will come to saving faith. It is a reversing of the curse of Babel.
40:20: On the day of Pentecost. And then in the sending of the gospel. To the nations. Before we read
40:27: Genesis 1 to 11. Let's review the first 10 chapters. Because believe it or not. We finish our study in Genesis 1 to 11 this morning.
40:36: What about the rest of the chapters? We are going to study those on Wednesdays. We are going to begin studying on this
40:44: Wednesday. Genesis 12 and going through Genesis 50. If you can't make it to the midweek Bible study.
40:50: Here at lunchtime. We post it the next day. So on Thursdays on YouTube. You can continue on with the study in Genesis.
40:57: The plan here was to get you hooked. On Genesis. And feel like I got to see this thing through to completion.
41:03: I can't stop now. And then you continue on. And next week. We begin here.
41:09: Going through the book of Romans. We are going to study through the book of Romans. And the gospel will be preached.
41:16: Genesis 1 to 10. Shows the foundations of the Christian world view.
41:22: And the reason I wanted to do a study of Genesis 1 to 11. Is because. The Christian world view.
41:29: Is being exchanged in our culture. For a secular humanist world view.
41:36: And what that world view entails. Is a point by point refutation of Genesis 1 to 11.
41:43: Genesis 1. God creates the world. The secular world.
41:49: Holds that the world evolved from eternal matter. It just developed over time.
41:55: Darwinian evolution. Genesis chapter 2 says. God made them male and female.
42:01: And invented marriage. Between a man and a woman. The world rejects this definition of marriage.
42:09: And is even now beginning to reject. Male and female. As a binary itself.
42:17: Genesis 3. The problem in the world is sin. But the world in secular humanism.
42:24: Says. That there is no sin. There are only mistakes. And not realizing your full potential.
42:32: In Genesis 4. God values life. The innocent life blood.
42:39: Must be protected. As Abel's. And also the young boy whom Lamek killed.
42:44: But Genesis 4. Pictures a world that devalues life.
42:50: And we live now in a culture. Where lives are discarded. If they're small.
42:56: In the womb. Or the most vulnerable. You can judge a society by how it treats its most vulnerable.
43:03: The elderly. And those who are unborn in the womb. Genesis 5.
43:09: Is about godly family lines. The nuclear family. Husband and wife.
43:16: Together. Bringing children into the world. And then raising those children. Under their umbrella of protection.
43:24: And that's what Seth did. He had a godly family line. That was withstanding.
43:30: Cain's ungodly line. The world is now saying. The nuclear family does not matter.
43:38: That family is whatever. People make it to be. It could be a thruple. Or four.
43:43: Or more people coming together in marriage. This polyamory has actually come into our culture. In some cities.
43:50: It is a complete repudiation of Genesis 5. The nuclear family. In Genesis 6.
43:57: The sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful. And these angelic beings procreated with the daughters of men.
44:06: And the result was wickedness on the earth. The mighty men of old. The Nephilim. This wickedness that God had to judge.
44:14: The world says. There are no demons. There is no devil. A materialistic worldview.
44:21: A secular worldview. That doesn't believe in the reality of good and evil.
44:28: And of course the thing that the world hates the most is judgment. In Genesis 7. God floods the world in utter judgment.
44:36: Completely wiping away all but eight human beings. And the world says.
44:43: That never happened. There was no worldwide flood. And God will not judge.
44:50: And cannot judge. The most famous verse in the Bible now has become. Judge not.
44:57: Lest you may be judged. Missing the context of that in Matthew 7. Where we are to make right judgments.
45:04: But the point is. The complete rejection of a God who would judge. And so without a
45:09: God who can judge. Is there any mercy to be offered? In Genesis 8. You have the mercy of God.
45:14: The floodwaters recede. And God gives a new birth to the earth. And a fresh start.
45:22: New birth and life made new. But there's no mercy where there is no judgment.
45:28: And so the world does not believe in mercy any longer. Genesis 9.
45:34: God makes covenant through Noah. And he promises to keep the seasons.
45:41: The times and the seasons. Hot and cold. Summer and winter. Regulating temperature.
45:48: Controlling these things with the sign of the rainbow. That God will withhold the flooding of the earth.
45:53: In judgment until the last day. And yet what does the world say? The greatest danger.
46:00: Is climate change. It's a complete rejection. Of the
46:05: God who regulates the earth under the Noahic covenant. In Genesis 9. In Genesis 10.
46:11: As we studied last week. God intentionally sends people out in nations.
46:18: Each having a name. Descending from the three sons of Noah. So that the nations could keep one another in check.
46:26: When an Adolf Hitler arises. And seeks domination. Another nation. Like the
46:32: United States of America. Can restrain that evil. But what does the world say?
46:37: This is very important. The world says that nationalism is the biggest enemy.
46:45: Desiring a one world government. It is the nationalists who stand in their way.
46:51: But it is God who uses nations to restrain evil. And that's the point of Genesis 10.
46:57: So we come into Genesis 11. And here we see the confusing of languages.
47:03: To create these nations. But the point is to call out a particular people.
47:10: From one tribe. A tribe from Shem. Through Eber. The Hebrews. Ultimately Abraham.
47:17: And then to graft into this tribe. Those from every tribe and tongue and nation.
47:23: Revelation 5, 9. Every ethnic group. Those who will believe in the name of Jesus.
47:30: He will unite them. As one people. Under one name. With a pure speech.
47:36: Zephaniah 3, 7 and 9. Says that in the day of the Lord there will be judgment.
47:41: Things will change. But with the coming of the day of the Lord. Your sons and daughters shall prophesy.
47:48: Joel chapter 2. Zephaniah 3 to 9. They will be given a pure speech. And God will pull down every proudly exalted one.
47:56: And bring together a people on his holy mountain. We're going to get to what that means.
48:02: But understand just at the outset here. That the curse of Babel is a blessing.
48:08: In disguise. It tells people to go to the ends of the earth.
48:14: As God originally told them to do. It creates nations. And it alienates people from one another.
48:21: But there is a blessing hidden in this. Now their prideful gathering in cities.
48:28: Is dispersed. To do the creation mandate. We'll see that in the text of Genesis 11.
48:35: And all of this is pointing forward to the day. When in the gospel. God gives a new speech.
48:42: That unites the people of the world. To call a people out to be a possession. Titus 1 .14.
48:48: For God's name. Genesis 11. Now the whole earth had one language.
48:58: And the same words. And as people migrated from the east. They found a plain.
49:05: In the land of Shinar. And settled there. And they said to one another. Come let us make bricks.
49:11: And burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone. And bitumen for mortar.
49:17: No big deal here. Nothing rebellious yet. They're just doing good things. Being industrious with the things of the earth.
49:23: But look at verse 4. Then they said. Come. Let us build ourselves a city.
49:32: And a tower with its top in the heavens. And let us make a name for ourselves.
49:39: Lest. We be dispersed over the face of the whole earth. Now to understand the significance of that rebellion.
49:46: We have to be in context. Genesis 1 to 11. In Genesis 1 .26 to 28.
49:51: The creation mandate was what? Fill the earth and subdue it.
49:57: Spread out across this planet. That I have created. Says the Lord. And bring all.
50:05: Six day creatures and all birds. All animals. Under the dominion of man.
50:11: And the goal here. Habakkuk 2. Is that the earth. Will be filled.
50:17: With the knowledge. Of the glory of the Lord. As the waters cover the seas. This is
50:23: God's glorious design. To fill the earth with humanity. That praises his name.
50:29: Making the name of Jesus known. Throughout this globe. That's the creation mandate.
50:35: So notice that verse 4. Is a complete repudiation. Of the command.
50:41: It says at the end of verse 4. Lest we be dispersed. Over the face of the whole earth.
50:49: It's rebellion against the creation mandate. More than that. It is the glorification.
50:57: Of self. Let us make a name. For ourselves.
51:03: And so the problem here. Is ultimately pride. There is a proudly exalting people.
51:10: Desiring to make themselves. Memorable for all eternity. To make their names great.
51:16: And stand out among the nations. Among all the peoples. This rebellious people.
51:22: Which I think does not include. Shem. And Arpachshad. And Eber. The godly from that line.
51:30: Are not participating in this rebellion. But there is a massive. Even worldwide.
51:37: Collaboration. Of peoples. Who's leading it? Remember from last week? Nimrod. Not a compliment to be called a
51:44: Nimrod. Nimrod has brought everybody together. This mighty hunter. And they're going to build a tower.
51:50: To make their names great. It's a pride. And within days we will begin.
51:56: In this country. In the secular humanist culture. To celebrate a month of pride.
52:02: Pride. Which goes before the fall. The proudly exalting.
52:08: Of self. And celebrating. What God has deemed sinful.
52:16: Now church. But for the grace of God. There go each of us. Our hearts. Who believe in Christ.
52:25: Have been renewed. We've been given ears to hear. And the call of Christ has come to us.
52:31: So that we've been made new. But our position. Having been saved.
52:36: Out of the world. Like Noah out of the world. From which he was taken. Our position must remain humble.
52:44: We are not to exalt ourselves. To make a name for ourselves. But the first will be last.
52:50: And the last will be first. As our Lord taught us. We do not boast. In our own righteousness.
53:00: We don't boast. We have nothing in ourselves. To be proud of. No different from anybody else.
53:07: In the world. And we brought nothing to the table. From which God would see us.
53:13: And select us out of the world. It's all his grace. And so. We do boast.
53:20: Just not in ourselves. We boast in another. The one who lived a righteous life.
53:27: Jesus Christ. We boast. In the victor.
53:33: Over the serpent. The snake brought the lie.
53:39: In Genesis 3. And the curse with it. Death into the world. But the promise came in Genesis 3 .15.
53:45: That a seed of the woman. Would crush the head of the serpent. And there is one.
53:52: Who laid down on a cross. And allowed his heel. To be struck. With the spear of a
53:59: Roman soldier. And he was lifted up. In mockery and shame. In order to be.
54:06: Looked out upon. By the nations. And seen as glorious. Because in the striking.
54:13: Of Jesus' heel. He crushed the head of the serpent. He's the victor.
54:20: He is that lamb. That was foreshadowed. In Genesis 3. When an animal was killed.
54:27: Shedding blood in the garden. And the shameful nakedness. Of Adam and Eve was covered.
54:34: When God made. Coverings of skin for them. It was picturing. The righteousness of Christ.
54:41: That now covers us. When Abel. Was killed.
54:47: His blood poured into the ground. And Genesis 4 tells us. That his blood cried out to God.
54:54: But his blood. Was crying for justice. That God would punish.
54:59: Cain. That Abel would be vindicated. His life. Was poured out.
55:06: And all that Abel's blood could do. Was cry for justice. But the blood of Jesus. Speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
55:14: His blood. Poured out on the cross. Atone for our sin. He is the lamb of God.
55:19: A substitute who died for us. In our place. Jesus is the lamb of God.
55:27: And so I want to tell you church. You are to boast. But only in Christ.
55:32: And in his cross. Exalt the name. That is above every name.
55:38: This is the point in Genesis 11. For the people. Wanted to make a name for themselves.
55:45: That spirit of pride. Had overtaken them. And so they gathered in cities.
55:50: By the way. There has been a movement. Within Christianity. It was popularized by Tim Keller.
55:58: To glorify cities. Cities. He learned it from Harvey Kahn.
56:04: Who was a very liberal. Theologian. And one who rejected the inerrancy of scripture.
56:11: And by glorifying cities. They oppose. Genesis 11. For now hear me.
56:17: We are to go to cities as missionaries. Jonah. Was sent to Nineveh.
56:24: And should have had a heart of compassion. For the people he was sent. To reach. But we are not to glorify the city.
56:32: Because here is what happens in cities. Humanity. Gathers in a single place.
56:39: And where human depravity. Is concentrated. There is greater and greater. Opportunity for sin.
56:46: The founding fathers of this country. Warned against the danger of cities. One of them said.
56:53: Close to the sod and God. To be near the earth.
56:59: To be separate. From others. To be holy. That is what holiness means.
57:05: Separateness has wisdom. Lot chose to cast his tent.
57:12: Towards Sodom. But Abram removed himself. We have a duty to protect.
57:18: Our families as much as possible. From the evils of this culture. Now God will send some.
57:24: Into the cities. But that does not mean that we should glorify cities. As a place of God's special affection.
57:30: In fact look very carefully. As we follow along. Genesis 11. It was the building of a city.
57:39: That multiplied. Human depravity in a place. Now verses 5 to 9.
57:45: The famous part. And the Lord came down. To see the city. And the tower.
57:52: Which the children of man had built. And the Lord said. Behold. They are one people.
57:59: And they have all one language. And this is only the beginning. Of what they will do.
58:05: And nothing that they propose to do. Will now be impossible. For them.
58:10: In this conversation. He's not learning things. By visiting. It's an anthropomorphism here.
58:18: That God is observing and recording for us. What's going on. And then he says in verse 7.
58:23: Come. Let us go down. And there confuse their language.
58:29: Who is the us? Well clearly God is the
58:34: Lord. And he's speaking. But he uses that plural us. Earlier in Genesis 1.
58:42: God said let us make man. In our image. God has always existed.
58:48: In three persons. Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I think it's likely here. That the us is once again.
58:55: The members of the Trinity. Speaking one to another. And one perhaps the son.
59:01: The second member. Proposes this. Another option. Because I'm never dogmatic in my preaching.
59:09: I just like to lay out all the possible options. You might have noticed that. I'm being sarcastic. I will tell you another option here.
59:16: It's possible that it is the second member. Of the Trinity as the Lord. Speaking to two angels.
59:22: Because just a few chapters later. In Genesis 18 and 19. Three come down from heaven.
59:28: One is called the Lord. And the other are referred to as men. The three gather with Abraham.
59:36: Abraham begins to intercede. For Sodom and Gomorrah. The two go off to judge
59:41: Sodom and Gomorrah. Those two turn out to be angels. But the one staying back.
59:48: Is called the Lord. Abraham intercedes before the Lord. And then Genesis 19 tells us.
59:53: That the Lord called down fire. From the Lord. On Sodom.
01:00:00: That is to say. The intercession didn't work. There were not ten found.
01:00:06: Righteous. In Sodom and Gomorrah. And so when it says the
01:00:11: Lord. Called down fire from the Lord. You have the second member of the Trinity. Pre -incarnate. Jesus Christ.
01:00:17: Before that name was given to him. The son of God on earth. Abraham is interceding with him.
01:00:24: Because he is God. And when the judgment comes. Because God is the one who will judge the world.
01:00:30: The Lord calls down fire. From the Lord. So the father.
01:00:36: Sends fire and brimstone. On Sodom and Gomorrah. At the beckoning of Jesus. But it was two angels.
01:00:43: Who went to mediate that situation. And to rescue Lot. And then his wife.
01:00:49: Was turned to a pillar of salt. You remember the story. All that to say. This could be the same thing here.
01:00:55: Let us could be Jesus coming down. Or the son of God. Coming down with angels.
01:01:01: To do this confusing of languages. Verse 7. So that they may not understand. One another's speech.
01:01:09: He is going to. By a supernatural work. The changing of the wiring of the brain.
01:01:16: And the training of the tongue. And the vocal cords. As that is developed over the years.
01:01:21: In each individual. He is going to so change that. That different languages.
01:01:27: Will be spoken by different people. And they won't be able to understand. He will confuse.
01:01:33: Their language. Verse 8. So the Lord dispersed them. And there is that theme. They wanted to gather to make a name for themselves.
01:01:41: But the Lord disperses them. Over the face of all the earth. And they left off building.
01:01:48: The city. Therefore its name was called. Babel. Which means confusion.
01:01:56: Because there the Lord confused. The language of all the earth. And from there. The Lord dispersed them.
01:02:03: Over the face of all the earth. Now that's the third time we've heard that. We shouldn't miss the theme.
01:02:08: That God desires to send them out. Spread them apart. To fill the earth with the knowledge.
01:02:14: Of the glory of his name. Like waters cover the sea. And here's where it gets incredibly interesting.
01:02:24: Because. In a supernatural work. God confuses languages.
01:02:30: To spread them out. Only to envision. That 1500 years later.
01:02:39: When the earth is populated. To the ends of the earth. With American Indians. On this continent.
01:02:45: And Australia populated. And the distant islands. Filled with people. That at this time in history.
01:02:53: He would gather. The word Pentecost means. In gathering. It's the festival of first fruits.
01:03:00: When God brings in the harvest. In Matthew the end of chapter 9.
01:03:06: Jesus says that. The harvest is a metaphor for people. And the ingathering of people.
01:03:12: They're white for harvest. The fields are ready to be. Harvested.
01:03:18: When the time was right. And the nations were filled. That on the day of Pentecost. The ingathering.
01:03:25: He would begin to bring all people. To hear. And certain particular people.
01:03:33: To hear with understanding. To believe in Jesus Christ. We're going to turn. To Acts chapter 2.
01:03:41: And there I think are many. Assumptions. That most
01:03:46: Christians hold. About Acts chapter 2. That the text itself. Will dispel this morning.
01:03:52: Traditions and assumptions. That we bring to the text. That Acts chapter 2.
01:03:59: Actually refutes. And it's better understood. Having read Genesis 11. As we just did.
01:04:06: That this is a reversing. Of the curse. An undoing.
01:04:15: God grants understanding. To a sound. That otherwise would have.
01:04:21: Sounded like babble. You see the connection to Genesis 11. He babbles their understanding.
01:04:28: In Genesis 11. Then in Acts 2. He grants understanding. To their babble.
01:04:36: In Genesis 11. He curses in order to bless. And now in Acts 2.
01:04:42: He adds blessing upon blessing. By bringing all of this back. Together again.
01:04:48: It is just a remarkable thing. But pay careful attention. Because I think many people confuse.
01:04:55: Some of the particular words. And phrases in Acts chapter 2. And just to spill the beans.
01:05:01: I think. It's a miracle of interpretation. That's happening in Genesis 2.
01:05:07: It's not each individual. Christian speaking. Particular languages.
01:05:13: To individuals. But all of them. Essentially babbling. As it would sound.
01:05:21: To someone without ears. To hear. But God will supernaturally. Cause each one.
01:05:27: To hear them plural speak. In their own language. Watch this.
01:05:33: Acts 2. When the day of Pentecost arrived. They were all together in one place.
01:05:40: And suddenly there came from heaven. A sound like a mighty rushing wind. And it filled the entire house.
01:05:46: Where they were sitting. And divided tongues. As a fire. Appeared to them.
01:05:53: And rested on each one of them. And they were all filled. With the
01:05:58: Holy Spirit. And began to speak in other tongues. Glossia.
01:06:04: What does that mean? They're speaking in other tongues. Well Babel will inform it. But keep reading with me.
01:06:10: As the Spirit gave them utterance. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem. Jews.
01:06:16: Devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound. The multitude came together.
01:06:23: And they were bewildered. Because. Each one. Was hearing them.
01:06:32: Speak. In his own language. Now if this morning.
01:06:37: I decided to break out a little. Espanol. A little Spanish. Would anybody be impressed?
01:06:45: Not so much. Because there's probably many of you that speak multiple languages. Melania Trump speaks like six languages.
01:06:52: A lot of people can speak a lot of languages. For one person to know a language. Other than Hebrew.
01:06:58: Would not be. Or the Aramaic version of Hebrew. That brought them all together in a common language. That would not be impressive.
01:07:07: That would not be a miracle. If you just happen to find. Say you speak Parthian. Or Median.
01:07:13: Or the Elamite tongue. If there was one Christian. Who's now speaking your language.
01:07:18: You would not assume a miracle. There's nothing miraculous about that. That one person speaks your language.
01:07:23: But look at. First of all. The very words of Acts 2. Verse 6.
01:07:32: Each one. Whether you come from Parthia. Or Med. Or Mesopotamia.
01:07:38: Or Pamphylia or Egypt. Each one. Was hearing.
01:07:45: Them. This group of people. Them plural. Speak in his own language.
01:07:52: That's the miracle. The hearing of this group. In their own language.
01:07:58: That's fascinating to me. But keep reading. Because the clincher is in verses 12 and 13.
01:08:04: So it says they're amazed. And astonished. They find this event to be amazing.
01:08:10: Astonishing. Unexpected. Completely unpredictable. Kind of like Babel.
01:08:16: Was in Genesis 11. Now in Acts 2. It's the reverse of that. Because they're hearing this
01:08:24: Babel. In their own languages. Now wherever they're from. Verses 9 through 11.
01:08:30: List those places. And then at the end of verse 11. There's 15 nations here. We hear them.
01:08:37: Telling in our own tongues. The mighty works of God. It doesn't say that they told the gospel of Jesus Christ.
01:08:45: It seems like they're praising God. For what he's done in Christ. Yes they talk about the cross. I'm sure.
01:08:52: In their own tongue. Whatever this language is. They're praising God. The mighty works of God.
01:08:59: They're exalting God. It could be that they're singing. They're a group of people.
01:09:05: Filled with the spirit of the living God. And their hearts are ablaze. There is passion in them. And it draws attention.
01:09:12: And then what they find so odd. Is that each one is saying. Wait I heard. Sounds like part. That's my tongue.
01:09:18: They can converse in their Aramaic Hebrew. But they're shocked that all of them. Are hearing them.
01:09:23: In their one language. Now notice this in verses 12 and 13. And all were amazed and perplexed.
01:09:31: Saying to one another. What does this mean? They're surprised.
01:09:37: And they're trying to understand the meaning of the event. Not what are they saying. Because they understand it in their tongue.
01:09:44: They know something spiritual is happening here. Something big and cosmic. It's the reversal of Babel.
01:09:50: In the Babel. Of these people. That they now hear by a gift of interpretation.
01:09:55: And here's the clincher verse 13. Others. But others. So the all.
01:10:03: Refers to those given the gift of interpretation. Who are hearing in their own language. But others.
01:10:09: Mocking. Said. They're filled with new wine.
01:10:18: There are some in that company. Who are not hearing anything. But Babel.
01:10:24: Have you ever been around. Someone drunk. Who begins to slur their speech.
01:10:32: Have you ever. Gotten to the point. Or have seen them get to the point. Where you can't even.
01:10:38: Fully understand what they're saying. And their talking. Can become so.
01:10:44: Jarbled. That it sounds like. Babel. That's precisely how it sounds.
01:10:52: To some. Not hearing. And so they mock. And Peter when he stands up to preach. Says these men are not drunk.
01:10:59: As you suppose. You see the miracle was in the hearing.
01:11:05: And that actually brings integrity. It brings unity. To this whole.
01:11:12: Overarching theme. That we see developing from Genesis. Through Acts. And into the epistles.
01:11:18: The last place we'll camp out today. Is 1st Corinthians 14. Turn with me to.
01:11:24: 1st Corinthians 14. We're going to read verses 6 to 22.
01:11:36: 1st Corinthians 14. 6 to 22. I don't know how many here. Have a Pentecostal background.
01:11:42: Or have spent time in Pentecostal churches. But it's often said. That tongues are a sign.
01:11:51: For unbelievers. And likening. Acts chapter 2 to 1st
01:11:57: Corinthians 14. The assumption is that. A sign for unbelievers. Is a good sign.
01:12:05: That they're going to see a sign. Like we have seen the signs of Christ. Miracles and the prophecies of the
01:12:10: Old Testament. And the eyewitness signs. And then they're going to believe. But I want to tell you something.
01:12:16: When you read 1st Corinthians 14. It is exactly the opposite of that. The sign.
01:12:22: Is a sign of judgment. Of God's disfavor. Displeasure.
01:12:28: When someone speaks without clarity. In the assembled church. Paul prays for two things.
01:12:36: As a preacher. He says pray for me that I might have boldness. To preach the gospel as I should.
01:12:41: And the other thing he asks for. Again and again from the churches. Is for clarity. That when handling the word of God.
01:12:50: He would speak with clarity. That the people hearing from God. Would understand what's being said.
01:12:56: And the opposite of that. When a preacher muddles the message. Or doesn't handle the text.
01:13:02: With integrity. That muddling. That babbling. Is a sign of God's disfavor.
01:13:10: It is judgment. I want you to see this in the text. 1st Corinthians 14. 6 to 22.
01:13:16: Now brothers. If I come to you speaking in tongues. How will I benefit you.
01:13:22: Unless I bring you some revelation. See the importance of. The revealing.
01:13:28: The understanding. Or knowledge. Or prophecy. Or teaching.
01:13:34: Prophecy there is what's spoken for. The up building and consolation. And encouragement of God's people.
01:13:41: Through understandable speech. Verse 7. If even lifeless instruments.
01:13:46: Such as the flute or the harp. Do not give distinct notes. How will anyone know what is played.
01:13:52: And if the bugle gives an indistinct sound. Who will get ready for battle. So with yourselves.
01:14:00: If with your tongue. You utter speech that is. Not intelligible. Gives you a sense of what tongues would be.
01:14:08: Not intelligible. How will anyone know. What is said for. You will be speaking into the air.
01:14:16: There are doubtless many. Different languages in the world. And none is without meaning.
01:14:22: But if I do not know. The meaning of the language. I will be a foreigner to the speaker.
01:14:27: And the speaker a foreigner to me. Just pausing here for a moment.
01:14:33: Does it sound like Paul is commending. Uninterpreted tongues in the church. Or decrying that.
01:14:40: Decrying that. It's a bad thing. Keep going. Verse 12.
01:14:46: So with yourselves. Since you are eager for manifestations of the spirit. Strive to excel.
01:14:52: In building up the church. This is why you should desire. Clear speech. That which builds others up.
01:15:01: Notice though. Therefore. One who speaks in a tongue. So he's not decrying the thing itself.
01:15:10: Should pray. That he may interpret. Why? For if I pray in a tongue.
01:15:18: My spirit prays. Far be it from me church. To ever forbid anyone praying.
01:15:25: Privately in tongues. Because Paul says here.
01:15:30: If I pray in a tongue. My spirit prays. But my mind is unfruitful. But what's
01:15:38: Paul's large point here? Verse 16. Otherwise if you give thanks with your spirit. How can anyone in the position of an outsider.
01:15:45: Say amen. To your thanksgiving. When he does not know what you are saying.
01:15:52: For you may be giving thanks. Well enough. That may be legitimate praise. In your prayer.
01:15:59: But if you speak this out loud. What does Paul say? How can anyone in the position.
01:16:05: Of an outsider say amen. It is true. To your thanksgiving.
01:16:11: When he does not know what you are saying. For you may be giving thanks.
01:16:17: Well enough. But the other person is not being built up. I thank God. That I speak in tongues.
01:16:25: More than all of you. Nevertheless in church. I would rather speak five words.
01:16:31: With my mind. In order to instruct others. Than ten thousand words in a tongue.
01:16:40: Brothers do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil. But in your thinking be mature. Listen to this.
01:16:47: This is where the confusion comes in. People don't do their. Correlation.
01:16:54: Between old and new. They read a quote from the old testament. But they don't look it up.
01:17:00: He quotes from Isaiah 28. In the law. It is written.
01:17:06: By people of strange tongues. And by the lips of foreigners.
01:17:11: Will I speak to this people. And even then they will not listen to me. Says the Lord. Thus tongues are a sign.
01:17:20: Not for believers but for unbelievers. While prophecy is a sign. Not for unbelievers.
01:17:26: But for believers. Sounds very complicated. Until you simply read
01:17:32: Isaiah 28. And what is the context there? Israel has become.
01:17:38: Disobedient. And God desires to judge his people. And so what he does.
01:17:43: Is he sends the Assyrian army. And picture it now. This army crashing down on Jerusalem.
01:17:50: Powering through the northern tribes. Destroying the northern tribes. In 721. They encircle the people.
01:17:57: The Jewish people in Jerusalem. Their swords are flashing. And their war cries are shouting out.
01:18:06: Over the walls. Rabshaka is mocking. And the people on the wall say.
01:18:11: Don't speak in that language. Don't speak in Hebrew. Our people might understand what you are saying. The warriors of Assyria.
01:18:21: In Isaiah 28. Are ransacking Jerusalem. And their language sounds like.
01:18:30: Babble. They are babbling to the Jews. Because all of these warriors.
01:18:37: Who are destroying them. And have overrun the entire northern kingdom. Speak a different language.
01:18:43: It's God sending judgment. On the people. And that's the very context.
01:18:50: That we just read in 1 Corinthians 14. If someone stands up here on a Sunday morning. And speaks in tongues.
01:18:58: And we don't understand what he is saying. That is a judgment. On the body.
01:19:06: An outsider comes in. And can't understand. What is being said. From the stage or from someone next to them.
01:19:13: It sounds like babble. You know what they are going to say. Let me out of here. This is babble.
01:19:20: This makes no sense to me. I want nothing to do with this. Because what you have done.
01:19:25: By your babbling in church. Is you have judged your brother. The very way.
01:19:32: That God judged Israel. With the people of a foreign tongue. So tongues is a sign.
01:19:40: For unbelievers. But we simply assume. That sign. Must always mean something good.
01:19:48: Here the word sign. Simeon. Is a sign of God's judgment.
01:19:55: Just as it was in Isaiah 28. And so church. We are not. To speak in tongues in church.
01:20:02: Without interpretation. Everything that is said in church. Should have clear.
01:20:09: Understandable human language. That people can be blessed by it. Edified built up.
01:20:14: That is not to say. That people cannot pray in tongues. As Paul says he did. While in their private prayer closet.
01:20:23: Alone with God. The Lord of the flies was just trying to attack me there.
01:20:28: Beelzebub sent a fly into my head. This is the meaning of 1
01:20:35: Corinthians 14. And the reason I wanted to spend this time. Is because it's all connected. It's Babel.
01:20:42: Reverse. And here is the big application then. Think about this. God then uses.
01:20:51: What sounds like Babel. To the world. To save those who will believe.
01:20:58: 1 Corinthians 1 .18 The gospel is foolishness. To those who are perishing.
01:21:04: But to us who are being saved. It is the power of God. In Acts chapter 17.
01:21:11: The proudly. Exalting ones. Were the stoics. And the epicurean philosophers.
01:21:19: They were on. Mars Hill in Greece. And they thought that they were.
01:21:26: Smarter than everybody else in the room. They were proudly exalting.
01:21:32: Just like in the days of Babel. And so God sends. Paul the apostle.
01:21:37: To preach. The son of God. Come born through a virgin.
01:21:44: Crucified. In weakness. And exalted in glory. And this offended.
01:21:51: All the sensibilities. Of every philosopher in Greece. And do you know.
01:21:57: How Luke records that. For us. In Acts 17 .18.
01:22:03: Some of the epicurean. And stoic philosophers. Also conversed with him. And some said.
01:22:10: What does this babbler. Wish to say. What does this babbler.
01:22:16: Wish to say. Others said he seems to be a preacher. Of foreign divinities. Because he was preaching Jesus. And the resurrection.
01:22:26: Application. You need to expect.
01:22:32: That when you go out as an evangelist. The message of the cross. Will sound.
01:22:38: Like Babel. To most people. This set me free as an evangelist.
01:22:45: Because when I realized. That the expectation is. My preaching of Jesus. Will hit their ears.
01:22:52: Like a drunkard. What does this babbler. Wish to say. And they will think nothing of it.
01:22:59: They will not esteem it. Unless. God opens the heart.
01:23:04: Of an unbeliever. Second Corinthians 4. That he would unfurl their hearts.
01:23:10: That he would allow the light of Christ. To shine in. And bring understanding.
01:23:16: Into a dark place. Just like God in Genesis said. Let there be light. He must say to the soul.
01:23:21: Let there be light. He must give ears to deaf people. Otherwise it sounds like Babel.
01:23:27: It's foolishness. What does this babbler wish to say. But if you expect that. Then you preach anyway.
01:23:34: Your job is to go. Proclaim the gospel. And seem like a fool.
01:23:41: You have to be. Willing to be a fool. In the eyes of the world. In order to win people to Christ.
01:23:49: You have to look like. You've lost your marbles. Like you're over the top. The secular humanist.
01:23:55: Does not see our world view. As legitimate. Every other world view.
01:24:01: Is tolerable within multiculturalism. But they consider the Christian world view. To be intolerant.
01:24:07: And complete nonsense. Foolishness. Who would ever believe that.
01:24:15: But if you go out in the power of the Holy Spirit. Baptized in the Spirit. Preaching Jesus Christ.
01:24:22: With clarity and with boldness. God. Will awaken certain ones.
01:24:28: Calling out a people to himself. He will grant them the ability. To hear. That's how this all comes together.
01:24:36: The miracle is in the hearing. Your job is to preach. And not discriminate. You preach to all people.
01:24:44: To every ethnic group. Everyone you come across. You preach the gospel.
01:24:50: And God will do a miraculous work. In hearing. The gospel.
01:24:56: For those whom he's calling to himself. So church. Preach the gospel with the expectation.
01:25:02: That it will sound like babble. To most. But that the power of God. Will humble the hearts of some.
01:25:09: And they will believe. In summary from Acts 2. So you didn't miss this. It's a very important teaching.
01:25:15: The miracle of Pentecost. Was in the hearing. Acts 2 .11.
01:25:21: A gift given to all. Whom God desired to give it. Acts 2 .12. But there were others.
01:25:28: Acts 2 .13. To whom the ears to hear were not given. In their pride.
01:25:34: The proudly exalted ones. Mocked what was happening at Pentecost. To them it sounded like babble.
01:25:41: Our job is to go out. And preach. Let's close in prayer. Father we transition now on Sunday mornings.
01:25:49: To the book of Romans. And this book. Perhaps uniquely in the
01:25:55: Bible. Is written to lay out. The gospel of Jesus Christ. We are not ashamed of the gospel.
01:26:03: And Lord I pray. That as I preach. Every Sunday morning. Your Holy Spirit would baptize me afresh.
01:26:10: Fill me afresh I should say. With your Holy Spirit. That I would have clarity.
01:26:15: In handling your word. And I pray for everyone. At Cornerstone. To bring those who need to hear the gospel.
01:26:26: Into this place. The gospel will be preached. We pray
01:26:32: Lord for this new series. From the book of Romans. Lord that you would.
01:26:38: Bless. The preaching and the hearing. Of your word. When we go to baptize.
01:26:45: In water. Down the shore. In September. Lord we are going to ask.
01:26:52: That there would be multitudes. Being baptized. On the day of Pentecost.
01:26:59: 3000 people were given ears. To hear. And were baptized on that day. We ask
01:27:05: Lord for an outpouring of your Holy Spirit. On Cornerstone Church. That each one of us.
01:27:11: Will go out preaching the gospel. In the world. And bring others in to hear the gospel.
01:27:17: So that many will be saved. Pour out your Holy Spirit. Baptize us afresh
01:27:23: Lord. Teach us to pray. With our spirit. And with our minds.
01:27:33: Lord we thank you so much. For the incredible. Integrity of your word.
01:27:38: How everything fits together. Layer upon layer. And who could know your mind
01:27:45: Lord. So far beyond. Tracing out. Thank you for your word to us this morning.
01:27:52: Fill us fresh with your Holy Spirit. We pray in Jesus name. Amen. Let's stand.
01:28:12: What. Is. My. There is.
01:28:22: For. Him. He is.
01:28:31: Righteousness. My. My.
01:28:41: Is. This is. My. Jesus.
01:28:49: For my love. His. Oh. How strange.
01:28:59: And divine. I can sing. All is right. Yet not
01:29:05: I, but through Christ in me
01:29:21: The night is dark, but I am not forsaken
01:29:28: For by my side, the Savior he will stay
01:29:36: I labor on, in weakness have rejoiced
01:29:43: For in my need, his power is displayed
01:29:50: To this I hold, my shepherd will defend me
01:29:58: Through the deepest valley, he will lead
01:30:05: All that died has been won, and I shall overcome
01:30:12: Yet not I, but through Christ in me
01:30:29: No fate I dread, I know I am forgiven
01:30:36: Though my treasure shorn, the price it has been paid
01:30:44: For Jesus bled, and suffered for my pardon
01:30:52: And he was raised, to overthrow the grave
01:30:59: To this I hold, my sin has been defeated
01:31:06: Jesus now and ever is my relief
01:31:14: Though the chains are released, I can sing
01:31:19: I am free, yet not I, but through Christ in me
01:31:38: With every breath, I long to follow
01:31:43: Jesus For he has said, that he will bring me home
01:31:53: And day by day, I know he will renew me
01:32:00: Until I stand, with joy before the throne
01:32:07: To this I hold, my hope is only
01:32:13: Jesus All the glory evermore to him
01:32:22: When the race is complete, still my lips shall repeat
01:32:29: Yet not I, but through Christ in me
01:32:36: When the race is complete, still my lips shall repeat
01:32:44: Yet not I, but through Christ in me
01:32:50: Yet not I, but through Christ in me
01:32:59: Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations according to the command of the eternal