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Now I want you to pay attention. It wasn't what anything in Israel wasn't their military.
I hate organized religion. I mean like with a flaming intense passion wider than the hottest Sun. I can't stand it, and I'm gonna tell you why. If I ever write a paper on this this will be my thesis statement.
Because it paraphrases God's Word and Memorizes man's word. That is why it is so destructive. Because it in an attempt to water down for the idea of Understanding you remove the reality of the changing power of the Word of the Living God.
I'm going to give you an example. What is Pentecost? Mercedes what is Pentecost? Zoe what's Pentecost? You ain't got no idea. All right, Mikey. What's Pentecost a? Dinner. Okay. Jesus's Harvest Festival.
Jewish Harvest Festival. Holy Spirit came down. Okay, so Holy Spirit didn't come down prior to that. Who said someone thumbs them back there? What'd you say, baby? What'd she say that was ten days earlier?
Okay.
So who said 50 days of course guys. When we hear the word Pentecost now or Pentecostal most church people think of a denomination. Just like the name Baptist. I mean we Started 400 years ago. I know some of you old Baptist think we were named after John the Baptist.
Stop smoking crack and learn some history. The Baptist Church started in 1609 it's only been around for 400 years and the whole idea was whether an Infant should be baptized or wait till that person makes a profession of faith.
That's how the whole thing got started. Religion is so silly and we miss the reality of God's Word if you look with me in Acts chapter 2 We're going to talk about what Pentecost is. First of all it's a Celebration that's what it was and that's what it is.
It is also a challenge. It should be a challenge in our life every day. And then lastly it should have been a change and if you have not had that change You ain't got the Holy Spirit. In other words I don't care how many times you pray Jesus in your heart you ain't a Christian and you need to deal with that today.
First of all, let's talk about as a celebration in Leviticus 23 and if you look on the back of your wonderfully worded and wonderfully laid out Notes, you'll see on the back there. I drew three graphs for you.
Actually, I stole them but they're on the graph there and it gives you the feasts of Leviticus. All of these are found in Leviticus 23. Well Pentecost was a time to celebrate 50 days after The the Passover it was to celebrate the harvest think of it as yet the harvest festival.
I mean there was another one in there like it too, but that was the idea. So when Jesus now you got to remember for 2 ,000 years for 2 ,000 well 1 ,400 years for 1 ,400 years the Jews had been celebrating this feast and every year in Jerusalem.
Everybody would show up. It's like New York City. During the what's the Big Apple drop thing called New Year's Eve? Everybody and their mama shows up to New York to celebrate the New Year get drunks and roll doobies and whatever they do.
Well, this was in Jerusalem. Jews from all over the known world came to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover and this feast of Pentecostal it was also known as a celebration when God gave Israel the law. Now in our modern times what we celebrate is The falling of the Holy Spirit now that we're going to read about it here in a second.
But let me give you the cliff notes number one. Jesus died he rose again and for 40 days he went around and proved himself to people by walking up going suck and people like ah and Freaking out and all they worship and went and changed the world, right?
Jesus after 40 days ascended back into heaven and then 10 days later He told the disciples to gather in this room and in a little while I'm gonna send the Holy Spirit to you. So all these guys were up in the room in 10 days after Jesus's ascension and it just happened to fall on Pentecost 50 days.
Almost like there was an author to that. Yeah things that make you go right the Holy Spirit of God fell and the difference between the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament is the Holy Spirit would come down he.
Would.
Manifest himself on David or Samson and as soon as the job God asked him to do was done Holy Spirit was on up out of there now in the New Testament 2nd Corinthians 3 16 and other places we have the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
He set up Tabernacle, we're going to get to that in a second. That is what? Pentecost was as a celebration. Moving forward. Let's look at what it is as a challenge read with me. In Acts chapter 1 starting in verse 4 and 5 and while staying with them Jesus He ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem.
But to wait for the promise of the Father which he said you heard from me for John baptized you with water. But you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. Not many days from now now you have to understand one of the challenges of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is Obedience.
Who struggles in their Christian life with obedience who in here just lied. You know what I'm saying? If you are a Christian, it is the hardest thing to do. I feel like I'm two years old sometime. I feel the Holy Spirit of God telling me don't say that don't say that.
Don't say it and out it comes. God says go right. I will look at God and go and Then I get a spanking or I get in timeout or I get in trouble, right? It is so hard to obey. It was very hard for these people to obey.
Remember these guys were being hunted by the Roman government and the Jewish religious government. They were being hunted down they wanted them dead because they could bear eyewitness testimony to the death and resurrection of Jesus.
They Wanted them shut down. Jesus said go right back into that hotbed if you were a pilot bombing Baghdad there in the white rocky war and you jumped out of that plane. You're gonna try to get out of that country as quick as you can.
God told them go right back to Baghdad stay right there and we're gonna we're gonna hook you up, right? Even in fear we have to be Obedience, I'm gonna tell you why. Let me tell you why obedience is so important.
You know what obedience does in the face of fear? Yes, it establishes faith. But here's what it does it empties you.
Guys.
Some of us the reason our spiritual lives are so weak is because we're so filled up with self-gratification. There's no room for anything else but being in a place of.
Hurt.
Being in a place of fear it empties us. And what we can do is we can gather together with your church family and in that emptiness. And listen to me. Some of you Christians that walk up in here and you're arguing with your mother or your your mother wife or husband.
Or you're living a double standard life. You walk in the church. Oh God bless you. How let me tell you something that's going to help you start being vulnerable. Start being afraid. It's okay to be weak.
It's okay to say I'm struggling because what that does. It empties you of the masks and the hypocrisy. And the self so that God can deposit the Holy Spirit that's going to heal you. And being emptied in front of your brothers and sisters in Christ being that vulnerable.
Man.
It's a beautiful thing. I'm struggling for the last month. With depression. I mean it's this year. It's just hit me harder than it has before for those you don't know. My name is Jeff and I struggle with depression.
Yeah.
Thank you and pizza, but it's been a struggle. It's been a struggle. I Got up here. We are praising God and my mind is on 27 other things. Pastor Josiah's hand came up prayed for me. A Few seconds later pastor Jeremiah came up laid his hand.
I hadn't told him anything, but they know. They know. I've been very transparent with there. She is my wife. I'm hurt.
I'm hurt.
That weakness that emptiness that vacuum. Then longs to be filled. Not with a codependent relationship that comes and goes. But with the peace of God that passes on understanding pastor. I've never had that before.
That's what I'm talking to you about today. You accepted Jesus Christ in your brain, but you ain't never been filled with the Holy Spirit by submitting to him in your heart. It is a challenge. Chapter 2 verse 1.
When the day of Pentecost arrived they were all together in one place and suddenly There came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. That line right there is a challenge for churches today.
Let me let me just point it out to you when they were all Together. I really think we at Witten Baptist Church need to reassess our Demographics, you know what I'm saying? Guys I'm just saying you know.
We need to get a little wider. You know what I'm saying? Come on y 'all. Yeah, y 'all know y 'all really want it. You know, I mean we have a contract Grass company. We don't need any more Mexicans up in here.
You know what I'm saying? We definitely don't need to Honduran's freaking ms -13 last week. See, here's the problem that right there is half the problem. Some of you visitors and some even your church members just got up fell all awkward.
Stop buying into the bullcrap. Stop it.
Stop.
Last week pastor Josiah read a pass read a passage from one of Charles Darwin's books. Can you do it from memory? Stand up and do it. Turn around and do it loud. Hey and say exactly what it says.
Oh.
Of course.
That was back then we've progressed now you arrogant self-righteous uneducated idiot. That's the guy they're teaching in high schools today and Your tax dollars are paying for it. And you know why. Because you keep electing Godless heathens into the government because they're liberals or because they're got a doctor before their name.
You see we paraphrase God's Word. They were all together as one. God's people are not denoted by the melon in somebody's skin. There is no nation. There is no race. There's a job Application it says what race I want you to start writing human for the love of God.
You sit there and go. Well, I don't have that you literally do it every time. The word racism doesn't even make sense. You see what's happened is the church now follows the culture instead of the church.
Guiding the culture and that's why we are so jacked up. Because we have surrendered our place of truth and leadership To a cultural identity that is not based in reality. I Mock it. I absolutely Mock it like I'm mock evolution.
That we as God's people who hold the living truth in our hands and the Holy Spirit in our hearts. Are afraid to stand up and speak the truth. Because they have a DR in front of their name because they've been to college 30 years.
I don't need a college degree to tell you horse crap is horse crap. I don't. People always say well if you don't like it try it once you'll never know. Okay, I'm sorry. I'm not gonna drink mule urine to see if it has a nice twang after-dinner.
Condiment. Man if you want to do that do that.
Ladies and gentlemen is the challenge of Pentecost. The challenge of the Holy Spirit of God is that we've got to start being together and Saying what we're for more than what we're against. If your church is known to be against everything Then you're gonna fail.
What we got to be known for is what we're for. Sorry. I got off a little tangent there. Kind of stuff chaps my butt. Here's the second thing. You know who was up in that room. Yeah, Jews and Gentiles.
Yeah. The whole you know, they were serving bagels and eating bacon, but you know who else was up in there.
Men and.
Sandwich makers. Yeah, I'm a queen of the kitchen now cat period.
Yeah, I just wish you were this fresh. Let me let you on a secret. Women are not to be pastors. You know how I know that. Because the Bible says it it ain't hard dummy. Just follow along. But at the same time Women are called to teach.
Right, let all the women what? Teach right the younger women right the younger women how to cook how to clean how to use a mop. When you get to be mother-in-law's how to ride a broom, you know.
The daughters.
Phillip were what? Say it again pastor. Prophetess, what's that mean? They spoke the Word of God.
We.
Especially in the Baptist faith have relegated half the spiritual gifts of our entire congregation for five six seven generations to either be in the kitchen or the nursery and We have suffered for it.
Fat suffered for it. I tell you what if I want something done around here, you know what I do. Find me a chick. Cuz I know it'll get done right? I always say I got a Michelle for that. I got a char for that money.
I got a Rebecca for that, right? I think you see my timeline. I'm reputting the time. I'm so psyched about this timeline. Oh my god. I'm fired up about this timeline. I'm creating a timeline. So I'm about to do the military history of Israel and I'm about to do Tracing the beginnings of the church and we're gonna have this timeline.
It's gonna stay up there. So it's gonna have the boxes. What are they called? QR codes it's gonna have QR codes on them and it's gonna have different historical stuff on them. And I needed a black straight line.
So I said pastor Josiah Stay away. All right. I found me a chick now. She a Yankee, but she did I Paint that up there then I want the little vinyl words, you know the birth of Christ and all that stuff.
What are you gonna find that call a chick? Guys the idea that we in the church the challenge of the Holy Spirit is to see the different roles. But the same value and worth. My wife is one of the wisest people I've ever met in my life.
You can rest assured. I am consulting with her before I make any decision. 100 guaranteed because you know why I don't want to screw up. She's a smart chick our Women in this church guys think about it for a second.
The women in Witten could outwork out fight out shoot out you out. Whatever probably most dudes in any other church. Guys we need to be of one accord and it's a challenge sometimes especially you insecure males.
Guys stop dudes quick second here man chillax. Let him run because usually in their wake you're gonna find success. All right, I'm moving on it says right here and suddenly let's let's do first three and divided tongues of the fired appeared to them and rested on each one of them.
It kathasin, let me say that to you again kathasin. Now, I'm sure pastor Josiah will connect the pronunciation. I speak redneck Greek Kathasin let me tell you the difference the word kathasin. It's it some of your Bibles will say sack some of you will say rested.
Those are English translations of that word Akathisin and it means this to rest upon with permanency with permanency. Once I always say you dumb redneck Baptist say a kathasin, please or tell him you're from Bellevue one of the two.
One of the challenges of the resting of the Holy Spirit on us also comes with just a little bit of joy. In the fact that God has permanently chosen me to be his son. I love Revelation where it says he gave without expectation.
Where he calls I will be your God and you will be my servant. Oh, no, that wasn't the word. Son, I'm a child of God and I love that because the Holy Spirit sealed me with the setting on. Now I want to do a little side note here.
A little side note. Y 'all stay with me. I'm not going too far. A little side note here verse 3 through 6. Let's read it together and it sounds like an acid trip but this really happened. Watch this. And divided tongues as fire Appeared on them and rested on each one of them and when they were all filled with the Holy Spirit filled a Began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Two more verses now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews devout men from every nation under heaven. You see they were devout, but they weren't saved. Let me say that to you again. They were devout, but they weren't saved and at this sound the multitude came together and they were Bewildered because each one was hearing them speak in his own language.
Somebody stole my Honda. I stole him. God just told me to tell you to give me money in the name of Jesus for $49 .99. God right now. Just said you can have a copy of this sermon and this sermon is blessed and anointed by God.
Horsecrap, you know, it's amazing. The Holy Spirit came down and this glossia right here. It's nothing magical people say see it's it's a it's a it's a. It's a heavenly language crackhead. Learn good hermeneutics.
Listen to what it says. We don't have to guess it literally says in context. There were people from all other nations who heard different languages and when tongues began to speak these guys understood them in Their own language, right?
That's all it's not a magical. Oh my god. What is this? Read stop reading religiously or fear or once your theology to be right just waiting to scripture. Now if you want homework on the other type of glossia, it's written on your paper.
You do that this week and we'll talk about it. But anyways, these people came and we're speaking yet. There was a unity and understanding. Don't you love the fact that it Babel to? 4 ,000 years before this God divided them through their languages different languages and then the Holy Spirit comes and even though they have different Languages are now you invited again in that awesome.
I think that's so awesome. But anyways, the Holy Spirit of God in verse 6 it says at the sound the multitude came together. Church. Let me just talk to you about this real quick. Listen to me guys. I am NOT interested in having What's it called a mega church?
I can't be a pastor of that. Okay, my ADD my little three Horsepower brain I can't handle that man. I can't handle this right now. That's why I have to have other people's right? I can't I can't do it.
But.
People in churches, you know, they have businesses you want to raise money for your church. Pay us $50 ,000 will help you get $100 ,000. Man crackheads this church did it 25 years ago. They had this whole program.
Jimmy remembers from thy hand from thy hand to my dying hand.
Please.
Churches have bigger shows. We need a smoke machine. You know what I mean? Get one of them smoke things going. A little glitter disco ball. Be up in here praising the Lord.
What's it say right here? What's it say right here? When the non-believers heard the Holy Spirit or the effects of the Holy Spirit, that's when they came. Do you know how the Bible says. The world will know that we are Christians.
By our love.
Not by us. Telling how everybody's stupid or wrong or fags are bad or whatever the bad day. Nah, man. Just be genuine. Be transparent love people where they're at and day will show up to you. I don't need no smoke machines.
I just need a house filled with God's people who are filled with the Holy Spirit and loving people as they show up. That's it. That's all we need to do. That's a big secret. Look at this other thing right here.
Look what it says right here. It says Let me let me skip this part. Let me go to verse 12. Let me go to verse 12 and all were amazed and perplexed saying to one another what does this mean? But others mockingly said they were filled with new wine.
Let me tell you two things when the Holy Spirit the challenge of the Holy Spirit some people will go. Wow, this is cool. Other people will go that is so stupid. What we got to do is not take offense of this and not get a big head in this.
But redirect it to the praise where it really needs to go and back to God pastor Jeff. You are the greatest pastor ever to live. I know that you don't have to tell me that you are the greatest Preacher since John the Baptist.
I know I get it I got it, right and that's why I keep hiring lesser pastors so that I'll still be superior, right? I can't hire a real one. Man our our associate pastors would smoke anybody else but anyways Guys realize you're gonna take crap.
Realize that you're gonna take glory. But give it all back to God and dismiss the crap and give that to him too and move on down the road. Revival, let me just go to this verse 14, but Peter now remember this cat he was the guy who is such a lily-livered chicken that while Jesus was on trial for his life a Twelve year old little girl came up and goes.
Hey, weren't you with Jesus? He goes heck. No. She goes. No. No, you were a Jesus. He goes never knew the dude Burton come up you are one of Jesus disciples and he went MF that son of a man. I swear to God.
I Don't know this man. Right. That was probably a really queer cockadoodle do but y 'all get it.
Now.
40 or 50 days later He stands up in the middle of everybody who's looking for him because now he's filled with the Holy Spirit. He ain't relying on his power his knowledge his theology his church his pastor his religion.
He's now filled with the Holy Spirit and he no longer cares what people think he no longer cares. If they're gonna take his life He with his last dying breath is gonna share the life-changing message of Jesus Christ.
And he stands up. Peter Standing up with the eleven lifted up his voice and addressed him. Make no mistake. This wasn't a will you come to church with me sometime? This was hey World you on the road to hell you are believing in the lies of this world.
Your eyes have been covered by Satan and culture. Wait Jesus and he is coming back and it ain't church and religion that's gonna save you. It's the atoning blood of Jesus Christ and you reject it at your own eternal damnation.
Something like that. Look what happens verse 37. I ain't doing Peter's sermon. You can read it on your own Verse there 37 he gets finished and a lot shorter time than I do. Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart and it's too Sorry 80s and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles brothers.
What shall we do? You know what? It was invitation time. We're gonna have that in just a second invitation time. Brothers what shall we do now watch what Peter says and Peter said to them did this watch?
Peter said to them there's nothing you can do. If God saves you you're saved. If God doesn't save you you'll never be saved.
Bill.
Blessed be his name. That's what God said. It ain't up to you. You ain't got no part in this. God is sovereign and he will elect or double predestinate. He has got this. God Consulted Augustine and Calvin when all this was going on when he was writing his word down.
Is that what it says? Oh Wait a minute. And Peter said to them Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you Might oh, no, you will Receive the gift of the Holy Spirit for the promise is for you.
And for your children and for all all white anglo-saxon people know for all.
Who are far off?
Everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself guys. Yeah, Calvin's read that last four words that gives you a little bit too, but guys listen. Watch this, you know who that's talking to.
Us.
For all who are far off.
All who are far two thousand years later, this is not an antiquated message.
It's here for you today.
Now, I know some of you you got burned by church. Put some butter on it. Put some dirt rub it in shake it off grow up a little bit and get right with God. Do not let religion send you to hell. Okay? Number two some of you are just lazy and you're so apathetic because you weren't raised right and the height of your experience in life was playing video games and satisfying self.
That's it. That's why women are so frustrated today because 20 year old men are really 20 year old boys. And you have no self-discipline whatsoever. None and so you're your idea of God is dear Jesus come into my heart and save me.
Amen. God bless. I'm the day of spirit to Sancti and you're just gonna go do your own thing. That was for you Hannah. You're gonna go do your own thing, right? Guys, no, man. You see it says what's the first word the first word of the gospel is this?
Repent. Now I'm just gonna give you one y 'all hang with me. I see rolling eyes just hang with me just one more second. Do a bump or there you go. Do just stay with don't do a bump. Don't don't do a bump.
By the way, this sermon is brought to you by war war. Thursday nights come to war. Guys here's what people don't get. They think repentance is what you've got to do to come to God. Don't know how many times I've explained this in 35 years of preaching.
Repentance is not what you do to come to God. It's what you do when you come to God. See, this is what you've been doing your whole life.
Screw you God. I'm out.
Repentance literally means the word means to change your mind. My life sucks. Hmm. Let's try something else. Shall we and you turn away from this? Well, when you turn away from self, guess what you turn towards.
God.
See self and that's what your culture teaches you. I am special. I know you're not. You're not special. That's why you can't make it in life because you were taught lies. All roads lead to heaven. No Oprah.
That is not what all world religion leads to. Only Jesus Christ Jesus said I am the way the truth in life. No one comes to the father, but I can say it to you in Greek and Latin and I don't change nothing.
Okay. Repentance is turning away from me and what I want to do and submitting myself by turning to God. So the first thing you need to do if you're one of the people that this word is talking to you're one of the ones.
Way far off. The first word you need to hear is Repentance for the kingdom of God is at hand. Repentance is that beautiful thing. Last two things and y 'all just hang with me one more second. Am I going too long?
Verse 41. There's some people in here just went shut up, man. Verse 41. So those who received his word were baptized and there were added that day about 3 ,000 souls 3 ,000 people needing counseling appointments.
I could I could do that. No problem.
Baptized.
Y 'all know I'm married yeah, you know why y 'all my family y 'all know that. But y 'all have to understand a struggle. I have I go out in public and I try to dress slovenly. And I try to stick my gut out.
And I try, you know not to do my hair. Because dang the women be all up on me man. I It is so hard being a trophy husband. It is so Difficult and nowadays it just ain't women coming at me man, but you know, they don't have to ask.
Because they see the ring. They see the ring. That ring has been on my finger for 33 years now in all fairness, it did come off for a little while because It shrunk over the years and it had to get expanded gold.
Does that by the way? 33 years that rings been on my finger 33 years as a sign of a covenant that I made. That's a sign. Baptism is putting on that ring the water that we baptize people. It ain't it ain't magic.
I remember we had a guy used to come in here and he'd have this little thing of water and he he had some mental Issues and there were demons coming to his house. So he came in here and he'd say pastor bless the water and I spent like an hour.
Explaining to him that doesn't work and he's like, oh, yes, it does. I was like, okay, and I went somebody stole my Honda could eat some more honey. I spoke he was like Oh, thank you so much. He'd come back every once in a while and asked me to bless more water for him.
I was like cool, whatever, but the water in here baptism does not wash away sin. Never has never will you know why it's water. Okay? But it is when you get baptized. Y 'all just got scared didn't you so did I when y 'all got when you get baptized see what it is.
Is you sitting and telling the whole world? I'm taking don't bother Satan. Don't bother the world. I'm already married my heart and gave my heart to somebody else. You can no longer have my heart drugs.
You can't have my heart. Codependent relation you can't have my heart world. You can't have me no more because I have now repented and the Word of God has taken root and the Holy Spirit now Dwells inside of me.
You're married man. Now. I know like me. You know the world still wants you. The stale words still wants you but that's why you'd give them give them up one more thing. One more thing look at verse 42.
I'm gonna do five more verses. Okay? Rely if you got to go go. No, no, no, just five just five. Somebody gonna shoot you verse 42. So these people didn't know Jesus. Holy Spirit preached right they came to know Jesus.
They got saved and then they got baptized. If you got to go potty go potty. I understand you won't think no one will think you're rude. Watch so now we see a picture of them two or three weeks later, right?
Right. Here we go. They devoted themselves to the Apostles teaching and fellowship and the breaking of the bread and the prayers. Watch this. You become a Christian and you go off on your own. You are gonna be the little zebra with the broken leg in the pack behind when the alligator goes.
You're gonna be that guy on Who leaves the safety of the herd and gets gobbled up and you're gonna be on National Geographic. With your one leg twitching out of the lion's mouth and everybody's gonna go.
That was probably a little too graphic wasn't it? Sorry. Yeah, the truth hurts man. You see these new Christians. They devoted themselves to the Apostles teaching. That's me. I'm not an apostle. Okay, there are no more apostles.
I know some of y 'all freaked out about that, but read the Bible. It's cool but you have to devote yourself to learning. You've got to because. Some of y 'all been saved 40 years and you couldn't put a doctrinal thought together if your life depended on it.
Guys be with your family and learn and look at this it says right this and all came upon every soul and many wonders and signs were being done to the Apostles and all who believed were together and had all things in common and they were selling their Possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all as any had need.
Right now I'm gonna ask The what are the people called the collection offering plate people? I'd like everyone to please pull out your house deed and sign it over to me In the name of Jesus, and then we're gonna give you a cup of Kool-Aid and it's so refreshing and nice.
Listen to what it says. They were selling what they had, you know, why lead the last four words. Because some people had needs. They know communism in Christianity. They weren't all just selling and smoking weed living on a commune going peace, man.
That's not what it says. It says they were doing what they had to do amongst themselves to take care of their brothers and sisters who didn't have Jack. That's what it means. Dude, if you're in this place and you ain't got no food.
I promise you you will be fat stuffed and happy before you leave this house today. If you ain't got no food, we're gonna hook you up. And also if you have a drug issue I got people for you to talk to if you don't know about.
I got people you can talk to if you need a place. To sleep. I got people you can talk to. We're gonna take care of our own.