Book of Acts - Ch. 1, Vs. 8-Ch. 2, Vs. 3 (12/22/2002)

Acts 1:8 and the Mission to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the Ends of the Earth

We stopped last week with the eighth chapter of the first verse of the first chapter, the book of Acts. The Lord is talking to his disciples and he says, But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and ye shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem, and in all of Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Notice he says you shall be, you shall receive power, power to do that which is required of you, after the Holy Ghost comes upon you. We have the experience here of seeing the Holy Spirit action as he works in a person.

This is different than the indwelling Holy Spirit. David, we have the indwelling Holy Spirit and we have the power of the Holy Spirit. What's the difference in the two? You have the power in varying degrees at various times, but you have the indwelling Holy Spirit all of the time.

And your future, first person singular, each one of you shall be imperative, witness unto me, both in Jerusalem, Now we have Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the uttermost parts of the earth. Now in Jerusalem, all of these places are compared to something today.

Dennis, what would you say that Jerusalem compares to? Not exactly. Not exactly. Where were these people, Joy? Where were the apostles? Right now. Right now, where are they? In Jerusalem. Alright. Starts in Corsicana, at your home and works out.

Jerusalem, our hometown. Samaria, Judea comes next, doesn't it? Judea, what would that apply to, Dennis? Alright. And in Samaria, now Russell, where does that come in? Alright. Those with whom we do not associate and unto the uttermost part of the earth, those who we find in places in the earth.

It is our business to get out the word of God, is it not? So, don't expect someone else to do your work. He would have to do his work and your work. He does not say the world, cosmos. He uses the word gehe, meaning the inhabited earth.

The abode of men and animals. And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up. And a cloud, the same cloud that was in the wilderness, you remember, received him out of their sight.

The Ascension of Christ and His Return in Like Manner

Now, they're standing here. They're talking. He's talking. And all of a sudden, while speaking to them, he was taken up. Now, David, did he go up? He went up. What's the difference? Right. The Father brought him out of the grave and he took him home.

We say that space travels nothing new. The stars declared his birth. The heavens turned black at his death. The clouds welcomed him on his ascension and will surround him on his return for judgment. Now, this is not just clouds.

This is the cloud, the same one that was in the wilderness that overshadowed the people. That cloud. We learn from this that all of us, we that are Christian, will be taken up. We don't go up when we go home.

And while they looked steadfastly, imperfect verb, toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel. Which also said, ye men of Galilee, why stand ye here gazing up into heaven?

This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as you have seen him go into heaven. What does that tell us about his return, Dennis? Now, what do you mean by that way?

This same cloud is going to appear again at his return. Which also said, ye men of Galilee, talking to them personally, why stand ye here gazing up into heaven? They were looking and looking and looking, even after he had disappeared, they still were gazing into heaven.

This same Jesus, that's taken up from you, will return unto you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as you have seen him go into heaven. What does that tell us, David, about the man that's coming back?

The same human shall return. In Zechariah 14 .4 we find these words. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west.

And there shall be a very great valley. And a half of them mountains shall remove toward the north and a half toward the south. So he'll come back, he'll touch down exactly where he left, and it will split the mountain in two.

The Upper Room, Prayer, and the Appointment of Matthias

Acts 1 .12. Then return they unto Jerusalem from the Mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey. Now, Clarence, how far is that? A Sabbath day's journey, who knows how many, what we compare it to.

Well, it's actually nine-tenths of a mile. It was the same distance that the ark traveled in front of them. The same distance from the ark to the uttermost outlying tent. And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room.

Now, this was not a house. This was a meeting room where abode both Peter and James and John and Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James, the son of Alphaeus, and Simon, Zealots, and Judas, the brother of James.

These are the apostles. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication with the women and Mary, the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren. What's the difference in prayer and supplication, Dennis?

David, what's the difference? All right. Is it safe to say they were very earnest? They were very sincere, dedicated. Now, the scene shifts just a little bit. We don't change days. But Peter, in those days, Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples and said.

Now, there was about 120 of them in the upper room. Here we have recorded the first Baptist business meeting. Peter shows the great change in his heart. This could not have been if Jesus had not breathed on them the Holy Spirit.

Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost, by the mouth of David, spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Judas. Now, you remember Judas.

In Psalms 41 .9, we have, yea, mine own familiar friend in whom I trusted, which did eat out of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me, prophesying what Judas did. For he was numbered with us and had obtained part of this ministry.

Bill was, he looked upon as one of them by them. Yes. Yes. He had part of this ministry. Now, this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity. Greg, what's iniquity? And falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst and all of his bowels gushed out.

Not a very pretty picture. We must cast the world out of our heart, not cast ourselves out of this world. Now, Luke does not say that he did not hang himself. Matthew does not say that he did not fall.

So, evidently, he hung himself and the rope broke. The history of Judas is such extraordinary proof that man cannot hinder the purpose of God. If you think back to the incident, Judas was doing what he wanted to do, was he not?

And he wanted to set up, he wanted Jesus to set up the kingdom. But Judas' heart was evil all of the time. And in the end, it was brought to amplify the purity of Jesus the Christ and to bring honor to God the Father.

We would do well to learn this lesson, that you do not change the will of God. And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem, insomuch that the field is called in their proper tongue, what is that, Bill?

That is to say, the field of blood. For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein, and his bishopric let another take. The bishopric, David explained us the bishopric.

All right, now, they're getting ready to replace him. We, wherefore, of these men, which have accompanied with us all of the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us. Accompanying means one that ate bread with us.

Beginning from the baptism of John unto the same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection. And they appointed two. Joseph called Barshibas, who was surnamed Justice and Matthias.

Now, they picked two. And they prayed and said, Thou, Lord, of which knowest the hearts of all men, show us whether these two thou hast chosen. Note, they chose first. They chose two men, and then asked God to bless one of their choices.

Peter has had a wonderful change, but he hasn't changed all the way. They pick out these two men, and, Lord, you tell us which one of these two men. That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.

This tells us that the destiny of Judas was ordained. You see that? That he can go to his own place. It means that he was destined for hell. And they gave forth their lots, and the lot fell upon Matthias.

And he was numbered of the eleven apostles. But we never hear about him again. These men are acting the part of Abraham. You remember when down in Egypt, Abraham and selecting a son. They're running ahead of God as far as they are concerned.

Pentecost and the Coming of the Holy Spirit

Not with God. God, in his own time, selects Paul to take Judas' place. Proverbs 19, 21. There are many devices in man's heart. Nevertheless, the counsel of the Lord shall stand. Chapter 2. And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

Fully come. Greg, what does he mean, fully come? This was the day. David, what is Pentecost? What other great event occurred, Bill, on Pentecost? Greg, you know? Who remembers? Dennis? Yes, the law came on the fiftieth day.

You might remember that. That's right. And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. Clarence, is language an invention of man? Well, if it's not an invention of man, then who gave it?

God gave it. I believe the Lord conversed with Adam in the garden. It must have been in Hebrew or Arabic. That's the oldest languages that we know. Pentecost, the fiftieth day. The second of three great Jewish feasts celebrated at Jerusalem.

They were one accord. The image is almost musical. A number of notes are sounded, which while different harmony is pitched and toned as the instruments of the great concert under the direction of the concert master, the Holy Spirit blends together the lives and members of the church.

The Sound from Heaven, the Wind, and the Fire on Each One

Two. And suddenly, there came a sound from heaven as if a rushing mighty wind and it filled all of the house where they were sitting. Now, suddenly. Do you get the idea, Greg, that this started as a distant, faint sound?

Right. It burst upon them. It didn't start as a sound that billed. Sound spoken of the roar of the sea and waves of the sea from heaven. The vaulted expanse of the sky with things visible in it. Rushing to bring in by announcing to announce.

The Holy Spirit was announcing himself. Mighty, forcibly. Wind, breath, breath of life. Filled to fill to the top so that nothing shall be wanting to fill the measure. Fill to the brim. We come to the fire.

David, tell us why the Holy Spirit rested upon the shoulders of these men as a fire. All right. Greg, why was it necessary that it be visible? All right. Yes. Yes. Yes. Well, each one had it. It didn't fall just on Peter.

That's right. The violence of the wind serves to make them afraid. For we're never rightly prepared to receive the graces of God. Unless the confidence and boldness of the flesh is submissive. Whereas we have access unto him by faith so controlled and fear.

Open the gate that he might come in unto us. He has nothing to do with proud and heartless, heedless, unruly, painstaking, impetuous, rash people, hotheaded. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as fire as it set upon each one of them.

This fire, some time, it denoted the constant residence of the Holy Ghost with them. The prophetic gifts of old were conferred sparingly. But at certain times, the disciples of Christ had the gifts of the Spirit always with them.

But they could use them only at certain times. The absence of the diversity of tongues hindered the gospel so from being spread abroad. And further so that if the preachers of the gospel had spoken one language only, all men would have thought that Christ had been shut up under that small corner of the earth.

So this is why they spoke. And you heard in your own language. Cloven. To distribute. It's an adjective. To undergo partial breaking, to slice, pierce, penetrate with something sharp. The forked appearance of the fire was to indicate that the Holy Spirit was separating himself unto all of these languages.

He was slicing, piercing, penetrating the various souls of the people. Tongues. The tongue is a member of the body. An organ of speech. The language or dialect used by peculiar people distinct from that of other nations.

Glossia. The tongue. And by implication language, one not acquired. See verse 11. The word tongue is plural, meaning more than one language. I need to stop here and tell you that no place have I found in the Bible where there's a heavenly language.

We had a friend visit us this week that was very upset by people because they claimed they could speak in tongues. And she knew one of them pretty well. And she said, I asked him one time to demonstrate for me.

So he did. And I said, what does that mean? He said, well, nothing really. And that's just about the size of it. There is no such thing as the tongue of a heavenly tongue. The word unknown is not found in the New Testament.

It is added. I wish it had not been. If you take all of the women out of the tongues movement, it would die. Sat to have fixed one's abode. When we have the spirit poured out upon us from on high, let us all be of one accord.

A rushing mighty wind came with great force. This was to signify the power, powerful influence and working of the spirit of God. Something like flaming fire lighting on every one of them. They were filled with the gifts of the Holy Ghost.

They had miraculous powers for the furtherance of the gospel. They spoke not from previous thought or meditation, but as the spirit gave them utterance. That's true. That's right. That's right. And they, the disciples, were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the spirit gave them utterance.

If it is not of the spirit, it's not of God. We'll stop here with verse 4 of chapter 2. Anything from anybody? No.