What’s the best way to wait on God?

• • We’ll get the answer in our text today
  • Last week Jesus got the disciples all riled up
  • He told them he would send the HS to empower them
  • He told them to wait in Jerusalem (Luke 24:49)
    • But they were unsure about what would happen
    • The angels caught them staring into heaven while Jesus ascended
    • They said: quit staring! Get to work
    • But they didn’t know what to do yet

  Have you ever been there? Waiting for God to act?

  • Deliverance – from addiction you’ve tried to kick
    • Like my friend
  • Romance – when will I finally find the “One” – ?
  • Provision – in financial struggles or with career opportunities
  • Healing – in a relational conflict 
  • Vindication – you were falsely accused or misunderstood
  • Wisdom – esp for new believers who just want to know Bible more
  • Anxiety – when will you take this away?

  We’ve all been there. Today as we open the Bible we’re going to get a few practical, actionable tips to answer the question: What’s the best way to wait on God? We’re all doing it; we might as well do it right!

  So let’s get to it….

  Acts 1:12-13a

  Acts 1:12-13 (NLT) 12 Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, a distance of half a mile. 13 When they arrived, they went to the upstairs room of the house where they were staying.

  • went to the upstairs room
    • Possibly the upper room from the last supper
    • May have been like headquarters in early days
    • May have been the “home of Mary, the mother of John Mark” that Peter visited after jailbreak (12:12)
  • the Mount of Olives
    • ie, Jesus ascended to heaven from Mount of Olives
      • Makes sense, in light of this OT prophecy:
      • Zechariah 14:2-4 (NLT) 2 I will gather all the nations to fight against Jerusalem…. 3 Then the LORD will go out to fight against those nations, as he has fought in times past. 4 On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem….
        • a place of judgment for nations when Jesus returns
        • remember, this was part of the “kerygma” (early message = Jesus + faith + Spirit + return)
        • We’ll see this in Peter’s first sermon in ch 2
        • Has now become the place of blessing for nations
        • He’ll give them a chance to respond to kerygma
        • “Blessing on all nations” (Gen 12)

  (Back to Acts 1:12-13)

  • returned to Jerusalem
    • Simple obedience
      • Luke 24:49 (NLT) 49 “And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.”
    • They had great expectation, but little understanding
      • This is where we are when we wait on God
      • What do you do in this case? First answer:
        • Obey what you know
        • Do the next right thing
        • Trust God to open the door when time is right

  So what are those practical steps of obedience we should take as we wait on God? We find three answers in the text today…

  Acts 1:13b-14

  Acts 1:13 (NLT) Here are the names of those who were present: Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James (son of Alphaeus), Simon (the zealot), and Judas (son of James). 14 They all met together and were constantly united in prayer, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus.

  • the names (let’s cover this first)
    • (Pillar New Testament Commentary) The lists of the Twelve in Mk. 3:16-19 and Mt. 10:2-4 differ from Luke’s lists mainly by putting Thaddaeus where Luke has Judas son of James and in the order of the names. It is possible that Thaddaeus (or Lebbaeus in some MSS) was a nickname for this Judas.
    • Same list as Luke = those Jesus called are still in the picture, minus Judas. 11 out of 12 ain’t bad!
      • Think about all the people who have come and gone at church…
    • “along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus”
      • Final mention of Mary in the Bible
      • These women were an important part of the early disciples – that’s incredible if you think about it
      • The brothers of Jesus
      • At first skeptics Mark 3:21-35
      • (Pillar New Testament Commentary) Perhaps Jesus’ resurrection appearance to James (1 Cor. 15:7) was responsible for the conversion of Joses, Judas and Simon also (cf. Mk. 6:3). 
      • (Pillar New Testament Commentary) James became the leader of the Jerusalem church (cf. 12:17; 15:13-21; 21:18) and ‘the Lord’s brothers’ were acknowledged alongside the apostles as a distinctive group in the Christian community (cf. 1 Cor. 9:5).
  • They all met together
    • one of “Big 5” spiritual disciplines from Pursuit #9:
      • Connection, community
      • Too many believers try to go through life alone. You won’t find this anywhere in the NT
      • Luke 24:53 give us more detail about what they were doing “together”:
      • Luke 24:53 (NLT) And they spent all of their time in the Temple, praising God.
      • Three environments for connection from L9 in the Pursuit: large (church), small (group), and individual (mentoring)
      • How would you grade yourself in each of these areas?
  • were constantly united in prayer
    • Another one of “Big 5” spiritual disciplines
      • (Pillar New Testament Commentary) It is striking that at almost every important turning point in the narrative of God’s redemptive action in Acts we find a mention of prayer (e.g. 1:24; 8:14-17; 9:11-12; 10:4, 9, 30; 13:2-3).
      • Reminder that this is God’s thing, not ours. “You will be my witnesses…” not “you must be” – it’s going to happen!

  Acts 1:15-17 (NLT) 15 During this time, when about 120 believers were together in one place, Peter stood up and addressed them. 16 “Brothers,” he said, “the Scriptures had to be fulfilled concerning Judas, who guided those who arrested Jesus. This was predicted long ago by the Holy Spirit, speaking through King David. 17 Judas was one of us and shared in the ministry with us.”

  • the Scriptures had to be fulfilled
    • They were reading their Bibles
      • OK, they weren’t exactly Bibles back then, and they didn’t have them like we have them, but here’s the point:
      • They were committed to their scriptures as they were waiting on God. Here’s how we say it in value #1: “We look to God and his Word in all that we do.”

  Acts 1:20 (NLT) 20 Peter continued, “This was written in the book of Psalms, where it says, ‘Let his home become desolate, with no one living in it.’ It also says, ‘Let someone else take his position.’

  • Let his home become desolate
    • Psalm 69:25 – learned from Jesus, who quoted Ps 69:4 in John 15:25
      • Pillar: Verses from the same psalm are variously used in John 2:17; Romans 11:9-10; 15:3. 
      • So Peter’s quotation from Psalm 69:25 (LXX 68:26) is part of this exegetical tradition.
  • Let someone else take his position
    • Psalms 109: (NLT) 1 O God, whom I praise, don’t stand silent and aloof 2 while the wicked slander me and tell lies about me. 3 They surround me with hateful words and fight against me for no reason. 4 I love them, but they try to destroy me with accusations even as I am praying for them! 5 They repay evil for good, and hatred for my love.
      • This is Jesus!
      • Interesting: pay attention to the next part…
    • Psalms 109:6 They say, “Get an evil person to turn against him. Send an accuser to bring him to trial. 7 When his case comes up for judgment, let him be pronounced guilty. Count his prayers as sins. 8 Let his years be few; let someone else take his position.”
      • Note: In Ps the betrayer says “let someone else take his position” – this quote is against Jesus
      • In Acts Peter turns it around and now he’s using it against the betrayer!
  • The point: Peter knew scripture!
    • How far he has come!

Close

The point for today: What should we do while we wait on God?

Follow the example of the early disciples:

• Connection + Prayer + Scripture
• Even today, 2000 years later, you need these things when you’re waiting on God…

Today’s lesson is exciting, because there’s something for everyone:

• Those who are into this topic
• Pentecostals, charismatics
• Those who are freaked out by this topic
• Christians from more chill religious backgrounds
• Non-denoms, mainline
• Those who are new to Christianity
• Not sure what we’re even talking about
• Start with this: “baptism with the HS” from a pentecostal perspective
• The concept gained particular prominence during the early 20th-century Pentecostal revival, beginning with the Azusa Street Revival in 1906. It emphasized a powerful, personal experience of God’s presence and the manifestation of spiritual gifts.
• The Assemblies of God is one of the largest Pentecostal denominations in the world, founded in 1914 in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
• Foursquare Church – Founded in 1923 by evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson in Los Angeles, California.
• In the mid-20th century, this emphasis spread beyond Pentecostal denominations to the broader Charismatic movement which embraced similar experiences of the Holy Spirit.
• The Jesus Movement in the 60’s and 70’s, along with Calvary Chapel.
• The Vineyard Movement began in the late 1970s and was founded by John Wimber. The first Vineyard church was officially established in 1982 in Anaheim, California.
• Catholic charismatic movement
• Hillsong, Bethel Church, etc.
• In these environments you’ll hear about “baptism with the HS”
• There’s one main evidence: speaking in tongues
• So it becomes a huge focus in these churches
• Often becomes the main thing
• It’ll freak you out if you’ve never seen it before
• But what does the Bible say about it?

That’s what we’ll answer today: What is the purpose of baptism with the Holy Spirit?

• We don’t believe things based on how weird or normal they seem
• We look to God and his Word in all we do (and believe)

First of all, “baptism with the HS” is in the Bible, not just made up by the pentecostals and charismatics

• The term was coined by Jesus!
• Acts 1:5 (NLT) “John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
• This is why the disciples went back to Jerusalem
• Practiced disciplines of connection, prayer, Bible study
• Waited on God with great expectation
• But not exactly sure what it would look like
• Baptism with the HS was a biblical concept way before it was a pentecostal thing
• The real question is what is the purpose?
• That’s what our text will answer today
• Because the Pentecostal movement traces its roots back to Acts ch 2.
• But I think they get something wrong with how they apply it. So let’s dig in…

Acts 2:1-2

Summary: All the believers were together for Pentecost – a Jewish holy day that celebrated the giving of the Law to Moses. The sound of a mighty wind filled the house, which to the Jewish mind was a symbol of the Holy Spirit. 

Acts 2:1-2 (NLT) 1 On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. 2 Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting.

• Pentecost
• one of the three great pilgrim festivals of Judaism, along with Passover and Tabernacles
• celebrated on the fiftieth day after Passover
• Leviticus 23:15-16 (NLT) 15 “From the day after the Sabbath—the day you bring the bundle of grain to be lifted up as a special offering—count off seven full weeks. 16 Keep counting until the day after the seventh Sabbath, fifty days later. Then present an offering of new grain to the LORD.”
• Expositor’s Bible Commentary (EBC): It was originally the Festival of the Firstfruits of the grain harvest (Ex 23:16; Lev 23:17-22; Nu 28:26-31); it was called the Feast of Weeks because it came after a period of seven weeks of harvesting that began with the offering of the first barley sheaf during the Passover celebration.
• EBC: By the time of the first century A.D., however, it was considered the anniversary of the giving of the law at Mount Sinai and was a time for the annual renewal of the Mosaic covenant…
• This is important! We’ll come back to this in a bit
• Sound
• Tornado witness accounts
• This was a public thing, not private!
• Windstorm
• Sounded like a wind; but was it actually wind?
• Wind = ruah (Hebrew) = pneuma (Gk) = spirit
• John 3:8 (NLT) The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”
• Ezekiel 37:9 (NLT) 9 Then he said to me, “Speak a prophetic message to the winds, son of man. Speak a prophetic message and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come, O breath, from the four winds! Breathe into these dead bodies so they may live again.’”
• Ezekiel 37:10-14 (NLT) 10 So I spoke the message as he commanded me, and breath came into their bodies. They all came to life and stood up on their feet—a great army. 11 Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones represent the people of Israel. They are saying, ‘We have become old, dry bones—all hope is gone. Our nation is finished.’ 12 Therefore, prophesy to them and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I will open your graves of exile and cause you to rise again. Then I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 When this happens, O my people, you will know that I am the LORD. 14 I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live again and return home to your own land. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken, and I have done what I said. Yes, the LORD has spoken!’”

Let’s read on…

Acts 2:3-4

Summary: Something like flames appeared on each believer, yet another symbol of God’s presence. Previously the disciples had been influenced by the Holy Spirit, but now everyone was indwelt by the Spirit – something Jesus promised would happen.

Acts 2:3-4 (NLT) 3 Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. 4 And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.

• Fire
• EBC: Fire as a symbol of the divine presence was well known among first-century Jews (cf. the burning bush [Ex 3:2-5], the pillar of fire that guided Israel by night through the desert [Ex 13:21], the consuming fire on Mount Sinai [Ex 24:17], and the fire that hovered over the wilderness tabernacle [Ex 40:38]). John the Baptist explicitly linked the coming of the Spirit with fire (cf. Mt 3:11; Lk 3:16).
• each of them
• This represented a shift in how God would relate to his people: now it would be personal, not just corporate.
• EBC: under the old covenant the divine presence rested on Israel as a corporate entity and upon many of its leaders for special purposes, under the new covenant, as established by Jesus and inaugurated at Pentecost, the Spirit now rests upon each believer individually. In other words, though the corporate and individual aspects of redemption cannot actually be separated, the emphasis in the proclamation of redemption from Pentecost onward is on the personal relationship of God to the believer through the Spirit, with all corporate relationships resulting from this.
• filled with the Holy Spirit
• Note: the disciples were already influenced by the HS
• Being “filled” is something different, more
• John 14:16-17 (NLT) And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. 17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.
• “indwelling” vs influence
• John 7:38-39 (NLT) Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’” 39 (When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)
• Ephesians 1:13-14 (NLT) 13 And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. 14 The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.
• This passage is worth noting: John 20:21-23 (NLT) 21 Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” 22 Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
• This is way before Pentecost. So did he give the HS twice? No!
• (Expositor’s Bible Commentary) For this ministry Jesus provided the Holy Spirit and the commission to proclaim the forgiveness of sins. These are linked together for a new ministry. This was the initial announcement of which Pentecost was the historic fulfillment.
• On v23: (Bible Knowledge Commentary (2 Vols.)) Jesus was giving the apostles (and by extension, the church) the privilege of announcing heaven’s terms on how a person can receive forgiveness. If one believes in Jesus, then a Christian has the right to announce his forgiveness. If a person rejects Jesus’ sacrifice, then a Christian can announce that that person is not forgiven.
• (Expositor’s Bible Commentary) God does not forgive people’s sins because we decide to do so, nor does he withhold forgiveness because we will not grant it. We announce it; we do not create it. This is the essence of salvation. And all who proclaim the Gospel are in effect forgiving or not forgiving sins, depending on whether the hearer accepts or rejects the Lord Jesus as the Sin-Bearer.
• EBC: whereas Pentecost was for Judaism the day of the giving of the law, for Christians it is the day of the coming of the Holy Spirit.
• Law for OT was constitution, guide for the people
• Spirit for NT plays this role, but better!
• (EBC) the Spirit’s coming signals the essential difference between the Jewish faith and commitment to Jesus, for whereas the former is Torah-centered and Torah-directed, the latter is Christ-centered and Spirit-directed.
• Jeremiah 31:33-34 (NLT) “But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel after those days,” says the LORD. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their relatives, saying, ‘You should know the LORD.’ For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will know me already,” says the LORD.

Acts 2:5-13

Summary: Many devout Jews were drawn to the scene and heard the believers miraculously speaking in their various languages. This was God’s purpose all along: to share Jesus’ message with every nation.

Acts 2:5-13 (NLT) At that time there were devout Jews from every nation living in Jerusalem. 6 When they heard the loud noise, everyone came running, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers.

7 They were completely amazed. “How can this be?” they exclaimed. “These people are all from Galilee, 8 and yet we hear them speaking in our own native languages! 9 Here we are—Parthians, Medes, Elamites, people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, the province of Asia, 10 Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, and the areas of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism), Cretans, and Arabs. And we all hear these people speaking in our own languages about the wonderful things God has done!” 12 They stood there amazed and perplexed. “What can this mean?” they asked each other.

13 But others in the crowd ridiculed them, saying, “They’re just drunk, that’s all!”

• Disciples had asked, “When will you restore our kingdom?”
• Isaiah 11:11-12 (NLT) 11 In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to bring back the remnant of his people— those who remain in Assyria and northern Egypt; in southern Egypt, Ethiopia, and Elam; in Babylonia, Hamath, and all the distant coastlands. 12 He will raise a flag among the nations and assemble the exiles of Israel. He will gather the scattered people of Judah from the ends of the earth.

Back to our question: What is the purpose of baptism with the Holy Spirit?

Close

Summary: The purpose of baptism with the Holy Spirit is not to speak in unknown languages, but to share the gospel! Every believer receives this spiritual baptism at conversion, which should result in boldness to witness.

• The strange languages were not about tongues for the sake of the believers
• It was for the non believers!
• Sharing the Good News with them in their languages
• I’m not saying the spiritual gift of tongues is not for today
• We’ll address that when we cover 1 Corinthians 14
• I’ll do that soon right here on the podcast
• I am saying that in Acts 2, the purpose was clear…
• Jesus had already told them:
• Acts 1:8 (NLT) “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
• The purpose of baptism with the Holy Spirit is not to speak in unknown languages, but to share the gospel!
• (Baker Illustrated Bible Commentary) This is the first appearance of the phrase “filled with the Holy Spirit” (2:4) in Acts. Elsewhere in Acts, this phrase points to the power to proclaim the gospel message, not to one’s superior status in the eyes of God or one’s private spiritual development (see 4:8, 31; 9:17; 13:9).
• Every believer receives this spiritual baptism at conversion, which should result in boldness to witness.
• Have you been born again? If so, you have the HS

Is there evidence of it in your life?

Today we look at a topic that gets all kinds of Christians fired up. Is speaking in tongues biblical? If you were raised in a Pentecostal church, your answer is “yes”! If you were raised in a cessationist church, your answer is “no”! In this episode we’ll see what the Bible has to say. 

First, let’s define terms. 

Pentecostalism: Pentecostalism is a Christian movement that emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, primarily within the United States. It places a strong emphasis on the direct experience of the Holy Spirit, particularly through practices such as speaking in tongues, divine healing, and prophecy. The movement takes its name from the biblical event of Pentecost, as described in the book of Acts, when the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples of Jesus, empowering them to speak in other languages and to proclaim the gospel.

• The Azusa Street Revival – Los Angeles, California, from 1906 to 1909, at the Apostolic Faith Mission located on Azusa Street.
• Pentecostal vs. Charismatic
• AoG, Church of God, Foursquare, Calvary Chapel, Hillsong, Bethel Church, etc.

Cessationism: Cessationism is a theological position within certain Christian circles that holds that certain spiritual gifts, particularly those described in the New Testament such as prophecy, speaking in tongues, and miracles, ceased or ceased to be normative after the apostolic age or the completion of the New Testament canon.

• Historical Perspective: Cessationists may point to historical evidence suggesting that the frequency of miraculous gifts decreased after the apostolic era, leading them to conclude that these gifts ceased to be normative in the life of the church.
• Completion of Scripture: Cessationists often argue that the purpose of miraculous gifts was to authenticate the message of the apostles and to establish the early church. With the completion of the New Testament canon, they believe that the need for such miraculous gifts diminished.
• Cessationism is a theological perspective rather than a denominational affiliation, so it can be found within various Christian denominations to varying degrees. However, there are certain denominations or theological traditions that tend to emphasize cessationist beliefs more strongly than others. Many Reformed churches, particularly those influenced by the teachings of John Calvin and the Westminster Confession of Faith; Some Baptist churches, etc.

Next, let’s look at Acts

In the Bible, speaking in tongues is primarily discussed in the New Testament, particularly in the book of Acts and in the letters of the Apostle Paul. Here are some key passages often cited as a biblical defense of speaking in tongues:

1. Acts 2:1-4: This passage describes the event of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples of Jesus, and they began speaking in other languages. This event is often considered the origin of the Christian practice of speaking in tongues.

• Acts 2:9-11 (NLT) 9 Here we are—Parthians, Medes, Elamites, people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, the province of Asia, 10 Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, and the areas of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism), Cretans, and Arabs. And we all hear these people speaking in our own languages about the wonderful things God has done!”
• This was for the Jews.

2. Acts 8:14-18 (NLT) 14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that the people of Samaria had accepted God’s message, they sent Peter and John there. 15 As soon as they arrived, they prayed for these new believers to receive the Holy Spirit. 16 The Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them, for they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then Peter and John laid their hands upon these believers, and they received the Holy Spirit. 

• This was for the Samaritans.
• Does not explicitly say they spoke in tongues, but is the most likely answer
  • (Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Abridged Edition (2 Volumes)) We are not told just how the coming of the Holy Spirit upon these new converts was expressed in their lives, but the context suggests that his presence was attended by such external signs as marked his coming on the earliest Christians at Pentecost–probably by some form of glossolalia.
• (Pillar New Testament Commentary) The best explanation is that God himself withheld the Spirit until the coming of Peter and John, ‘in order that the Samaritans might be seen to be fully incorporated into the community of Jerusalem Christians who had received the Spirit at Pentecost.’
  • (Pillar New Testament Commentary) The delay in the sending of the Spirit put the Samaritans somewhat in the position of the Jewish disciples before Pentecost. They had a genuine faith in the risen Lord, but had not yet received the promised Holy Spirit. Neither the experience of those first disciples nor the experience of the Samaritans can be made the basis for a two-stage view of Christian initiation, either in a Catholic or Pentecostal sense.

3. Acts 10:44-46: In this passage, the Holy Spirit falls upon Gentiles who believe in Jesus, and they begin speaking in tongues, much like what happened at Pentecost. This demonstrates that speaking in tongues is not limited to a specific group or ethnicity.

• Clear sign that God’s invitation was for Gentiles.
• Acts 10:44-46 (NLT) 44 Even as Peter was saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the message. 45 The Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles, too. 46 For they heard them speaking in other tongues and praising God.

4. Acts 19:1-7: Paul encounters some disciples in Ephesus who had not yet received the Holy Spirit. After Paul lays hands on them, they receive the Holy Spirit and begin speaking in tongues and prophesying.

• Acts 19:1-2 (NLT) 1 While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior regions until he reached Ephesus, on the coast, where he found several believers. 2 “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” he asked them.
  • Paul saw that the two went hand-in-hand! It was normative. 
  • Ephesians 1:13-14 (NLT) And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. 14 The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.
• Acts 19:2-4 (NLT) “No,” they replied, “we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 “Then what baptism did you experience?” he asked. And they replied, “The baptism of John.” 4 Paul said, “John’s baptism called for repentance from sin. But John himself told the people to believe in the one who would come later, meaning Jesus.”
  • Baptism of John different than baptism of Jesus
  • Didn’t know the gospel yet! 
    • (Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Abridged Edition (2 Volumes)) Probably these twelve men thought of John the Baptist as the height of God’s revelation–perhaps even as the Messiah himself.
• Acts 19:5-7 (NLT) 5 As soon as they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 Then when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied. 7 There were about twelve men in all.
  • (Pillar New Testament Commentary) So why did the group in Ephesus collectively experience the phenomena of tongues and prophecy when other converts in Acts apparently did not? 
    • At one level, it was the appropriately dramatic inauguration of Paul’s ministry in this city, where God’s Spirit would be remarkably at work, opposing the power of magic and false religion, and winning many to Christ throughout the region. 
    • At another level, it was specifically related to the identity and need of these particular men. As those influenced in some way by the ministry of John the Baptist, they were brought collectively into the community ‘established by Jesus and his disciples through the Spirit.’ 
  • In salvation-historical terms, they were a transitional group, whose full incorporation into the church needed to be openly demonstrated.

• If this was the last of it, I’d be a cessationist. But it’s not!

Let’s consider 1 Corinthians 14

The section starts in ch 12:

• 1 Cor 12:(NLT) 1 Now, dear brothers and sisters, regarding your question about the special abilities the Spirit gives us. I don’t want you to misunderstand this.
  • We need this today!
• He makes it clear: speaking in tongues is a spiritual gift for the body (corporate) – v28
  • Not everyone has this corporate gift.
  • But it doesn’t matter, because love is greater than any spiritual gift
    • 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (NLT) 1 If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. 3 If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.

Then gets into details in ch 14. Let’s get into it and draw some conclusions about his mysterious gift of tongues…

1 Corinthians 14:1-4 (ESV) 1 Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. 2 For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. 3 On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. 4 The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church.

• Tongues builds YOU up
• Prophesy builds the CHURCH up
• Paul’s conclusion…

1 Corinthians 14:5 (ESV) 5 Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up.

• It’s not a bad thing! It’s not forbidden, it’s encouraged
  • But in the church (corporately), it’s not always helpful

1 Corinthians 14:12 (ESV) 12 So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church.

• They were eager for manifestations. Why?
  • Feels good! Builds you up.
  • Maybe also a spirit of competition, arrogance?
  • Definitely immaturity
    • 1 Corinthians 11:17-18 (ESV) 17 But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. 18 For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you.
    • 1 Corinthians 11:21-22 (ESV) 21 For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk. 22 What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not.
    • Consumeristic mentality
• Paul’s point, again: “strive to excel in building up the church.”

1 Corinthians 14:13-15 (ESV) 13 Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. 15 What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.

• (Pillar New Testament Commentary) The contrast between spirit and mind “was well known in the Hellenistic world, where ‘spirit’ was considered to be a faculty superior to that of mind. In the Platonic view of inspiration the mind is somehow displaced or inactive, virtually asleep, when inspiration occurs. For Paul, unlike the Platonists, such inactivity is problematic. Paul wants to see “the spirit and the mind work together. His plea is for the complementarity of spirit and mind in prayer. Ultimately his anthropology is holistic.”
• Pauls says here he will pray with his “spirit”, which in context is clearly praying in tongues
  • I believe you can pray with your spirit in other ways
  • Romans 8:26 (ESV) 26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.
• The point: Paul prays and praises in tongues
  • The question: in which context? Corporately or personally?
  • v 18 gives us the answer…

1 Corinthians 14:18-19 (ESV) 18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 19 Nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue.

• (Pillar New Testament Commentary) The thrust of the surrounding argument suggests he rarely, if ever, spoke in tongues in public worship. His meaning could possibly be I will pray with my spirit [in private], but I will also pray with my understanding [in church]…
• This much is clear: in Paul’s personal prayer life, he spoke in tongues often
  • He was thankful for it
  • It edified him on a personal level
  • But in the church setting he did not exercise it
    • it would take approximately 75 minutes to speak 10,000 words at a typical conversational rate!

1 Corinthians 14:39-40 (NLT) 39 So, my dear brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and don’t forbid speaking in tongues. 40 But be sure that everything is done properly and in order.

Last time we saw what happened to the disciples on Pentecost:

• Sound of wind, tongues of fire – representing God’s Spirit
• Spoke out miraculously in other languages, declaring praises of God
• People were confused, some even mocked

Today we’ll see Peter’s response to it

• How far has he come! Now he’s going to explain what’s going on
• Pay attention to his use of scripture
• Jesus had earlier opened their minds to understand
• Then he spent 40 days before his ascension teaching them
• Surely this is part of his preparation
• But the other part: the power of the HS
• Acts 1:8 (NLT) But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere…

In the next two weeks we’re going to break down Peter’s explanation

• In part he was answering their question: Acts 2: (NLT) 12 They stood there amazed and perplexed. “What can this mean?”
• Some answered: it means you’ve been drinking!
• Peter refutes that right away
• But more than that he was preaching the first sermon ever
• This was the beginning of the church age
• A new era that would redefine things
• God’s people would expand from Israel to the church
• Relationship with God would now become personal
• Previously corporate, mediated through leaders, priests, etc.
• Now personal, mediated through God the Holy Spirit – that was part of the significance of tongues of fire on them individually.

And so today, as we take the first part of Peter’s sermon, we’re going to answer this question: What’s the Role of the Holy Spirit in Our Lives Today?

• He is God, so he’s always been active
• But his activity is different in our lives today compared to OT times
• And it all started on the day of Pentecost 2000 years ago

We’ll get there in a second, but first we have to start with an OT story…

If only someday…

Numbers 11:16-17 (NLT) 16 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Gather before me seventy men who are recognized as elders and leaders of Israel. Bring them to the Tabernacle to stand there with you. 17 I will come down and talk to you there. I will take some of the Spirit that is upon you, and I will put the Spirit upon them also. They will bear the burden of the people along with you, so you will not have to carry it alone.

Numbers 11:25 (NLT) 25 And the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to Moses. Then he gave the seventy elders the same Spirit that was upon Moses. And when the Spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But this never happened again.

Numbers 11:26-28 (NLT) 26 Two men, Eldad and Medad, had stayed behind in the camp. They were listed among the elders, but they had not gone out to the Tabernacle. Yet the Spirit rested upon them as well, so they prophesied there in the camp. 27 A young man ran and reported to Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp!”

28 Joshua son of Nun, who had been Moses’ assistant since his youth, protested, “Moses, my master, make them stop!”

Numbers 11:29 (NLT) 29 But Moses replied, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the LORD’s people were prophets and that the LORD would put his Spirit upon them all!”

• Moses understood the burden of prophecy
• Speaking to people for God
• Calling them to be obedient to him
• That’s why he wished everyone could relate to God like that
• But it just wasn’t the reality (yet)
• Numbers 12:6-7 (NLT) “If there were prophets among you, I, the LORD, would reveal myself in visions. I would speak to them in dreams. 7 But not with my servant Moses. Of all my house, he is the one I trust.”

Later, the prophet Joel foretold a new era:

Joel 2:28-29 (NLT) “Then, after doing all those things,

I will pour out my Spirit upon all people.

Your sons and daughters will prophesy.

Your old men will dream dreams,

and your young men will see visions.

29 In those days I will pour out my Spirit

even on servants—men and women alike.”

This was the scripture that Peter would quote in his first-ever sermon. Let’s take a look at it now…

Peter’s sermon (part 1)

Acts 2:14-21 (NLT) 14 Then Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd, “Listen carefully, all of you, fellow Jews and residents of Jerusalem! Make no mistake about this. 15 These people are not drunk, as some of you are assuming. Nine o’clock in the morning is much too early for that. 16 No, what you see was predicted long ago by the prophet Joel:

17 ‘In the last days,’ God says,

‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people.

Your sons and daughters will prophesy.

Your young men will see visions,

and your old men will dream dreams.

18 In those days I will pour out my Spirit

even on my servants—men and women alike—

and they will prophesy.

19 And I will cause wonders in the heavens above

and signs on the earth below—

blood and fire and clouds of smoke.

20 The sun will become dark,

and the moon will turn blood red

before that great and glorious day of the LORD arrives.

Restored: God’s plan all along

Last week we saw that baptism with the HS empowered regular people to share the Good News with people.

• But the HS does so much more than that!
• Back to the Moses story – his frustration came from the people’s complaining in the desert
• They had hard hearts, and he felt the burden of it

And that’s the role of the Holy Spirit

Ezekiel 36:26-27 (NLT) 26 And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.

Close

What’s the Role of the Holy Spirit in Our Lives Today?

• (Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Abridged Edition (2 Volumes)) Three major aspects of the ministry of the Holy Spirit are described in vv.8-15: (1) to the world–conviction of sin, righteousness, and judgment (vv.8-11); (2) to the disciples–direction and truth (vv.12-13); (3) to Jesus–revealing him more perfectly to and through those who represent him (vv.14-15).
• John 16:8 (NLT) And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment.
• John 16:13 (NLT) When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth.
• John 16:14 (NLT) 14 He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me.

That last part we’ll cover next week, because the HS is just part 1 of Peter’s sermon. Part 2 is all about Jesus.

• Acts 2:21 But everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.

Today as we continue in our study of the book of Acts we look at a passage that is both encouraging for its simplicity but also confusing because of how some have interpreted it throughout history. It gives us an opportunity to do some good old fashioned Bible study, applying a very important hermeneutical principle. We’ll get to all of that in just a second, but first let’s take a look at the question that it will help us to answer in our study today: Q. Do You Have to Get Baptized to Be Saved?

• In simplest terms there are two sides to this debate:
  • some people say that yes, baptism in water is required for salvation.
    • One of their key verses comes from our text today.
  • other people say no, baptism is not required for salvation. 
    • Full disclosure, I am squarely on the side of the “No’s”. I believe the Bible is very clear in teaching that we are saved by faith, and baptism is something that we do after we are saved. we do it out of obedience to Christ’s commands, just like we obey in a thousand other ways. 
    • God does not wait to save us until after we are baptized; that goes against the clear teachings of scripture. I’ll show you those teachings today.
• Before we get to that, you might be asking why it even matters?
  • Is this just a side issue, something that everyone can simply decide about for themselves and we don’t really need to fight over it? Like pre-trib versus post-trib or wine versus juice 
  • I believe it is a fundamental issue that everyone needs to wrestle with. If you get this wrong, you might be getting salvation wrong! that’s a big deal, so let’s not take this question lightly. 
    • If baptism is required for salvation, I would want to know it. I would not want to teach the wrong gospel or lead people astray. 
    • I spent 4 hours watching a debate on this. (See Bible Thinker for more.) I seriously listened to it with a willingness to change my mind if the Bible made it clear that baptism is a requirement for salvation. but at the end of the video, I was more convinced than ever that my viewpoint really is the more biblical one. 
• So wherever you stand on this issue, whether you’ve thought about it a lot or are just now learning about it, I invite you to let God’s word speak for itself and make your own decision about whether you have to get baptized to be saved. let’s get into this 

For the last 2 weeks we’ve been studying Peter’s first ever sermon preached in the church age. it was a two-part sermon where he first started with teaching about the Holy Spirit and then he finished a teaching about the basic gospel message, which is all about Jesus and his death and Resurrection. it must have been a great sermon because as we continue to read the text for today, we can see that it had a great impact… 

Acts 2:37 (NLT) 37 Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”

• You’ve come to church, you’ve heard the message, now what?

Acts 2:38-41 (NLT) 38 Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away—all who have been called by the Lord our God.” 40 Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!” 41 Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.

• Wow! The church went from 120 people to 3,000 in one day!
• First I want to make some general observations about what is going on here. then we will take a deep dive on verse 38 and answer our question for the day. 
  • Peter is preaching to a Jewish audience, and his charge to them to get baptized is actually surprising. The Jewish people in Jesus’s day already had a context for baptism, but now Peter is giving it a completely different meaning. 
    • (Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Abridged Edition (2 Volumes)) The Jews generally looked on baptism as a rite only for Gentile converts (i.e., proselytes), not for one born a Jew, and it symbolized the break with one’s Gentile past and the washing away of all defilement.
    • Peter was telling them that they too had to repent and get baptized. he was essentially telling them that they were no better than gentiles! this would have been very offensive to a proud jew, but not to the people that day. notice that they were cut to the heart and genuinely wanted to know what they had to do to respond to this radical message about jesus. 
      • Remember that Peter had said in the message (last week) that they were partly responsible for the death of jesus. they were the ones who put him on the cross, along with Lawless Gentiles and God himself. 
      • The true gospel offends our sensibilities. true believers respond anyway. 
  • Second he says that they should be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. this is different than the baptism of John that we read about in the gospels. John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. this new baptism is something more. yes, it’s a baptism of repentance, but it’s specifically a baptism into the name of Jesus Christ, the one who died and rose again. 
    • We see the distinction later in Acts chapter 19. that’s where Paul encounters a group of quote unquote disciples who had only heard about the baptism of john. they didn’t even know about the Holy Spirit, so they clearly weren’t in Jerusalem on the day of pentecost! so Paul Shared the gospel with them and they were baptized into the name of Jesus. then they received the Holy Spirit just like we read about and Acts chapter 2. pretty cool. 
  • Third he says “every one of you”. Baptism is an individual response to the gospel message. No one can do it for you. 

Acts 2:38 (ESV) 38 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 will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

• Peter is saying do __ and then __ will happen
  • It’s descriptive for sure
  • But is it prescriptive?
    • Is it prescribing this to everyone?
    • Namely, repentance + baptism = forgiveness of sins
      • is required for salvation
  • If this was all the Bible said about it, we might say yes
    • But the Bible says a lot more!

To answer this question we start with the most basic hermeneutical principle: let the Bible interpret the Bible. Use clearer parts of Scripture to help interpret more difficult passages. It’s clear throughout the New Testament that salvation is by faith alone. Here are some examples:

• Peter’s very next “sermon”: Acts 3:19 (ESV) 19 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out…
  • Just repent. No mention of baptism. Did he so quickly forget the requirement?
  • More on repentance later…
• Peter with Cornelius: Acts 10:43-48 (ESV) 43 To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” 44 While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. 45 And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. 46 For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, 47 “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

• Just believe (v43), no mention of baptism.
• Then they received HS before baptism.
  • We’ve already seen: salvation means you’re forgiven + receive gift of HS
  • So their reception of gift of HS indicated that they were saved, forgiven
    • See Eph 1:13, 2 Cor 1:22 – sealed w HS at moment of salvation, guarantee
    • Yet they were not yet baptized

• Romans 10:9 (ESV) 9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
  • Once again, no mention of baptism
  • In fact, Paul quotes Joel 2 just like Peter did in Acts 2:
    • Romans 10:13 (ESV) 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
    • This speaks to repentance and faith. Nothing more required.
• Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV) 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
  • Saved through faith. Not faith + baptism. 
  • If God waited for you to get baptized to be saved, it would be dependent upon a work.
    • But it’s not, and it never was…

Even before Christ’s death and resurrection people were saved by faith. Abraham and the thief on the cross are clear examples of this – and neither of them was baptized.

• Romans 4:2-3 (ESV) 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.”
  • This is a direct quote from Gen 15
    • God had made a promise to Abraham in Gen 12 (through your seed, all nations will be blessed)
    • But there was no progress on the promise, and Abraham began to doubt
      • Then the bombshell: Gen 15:6 “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.”
      • Not “Abraham went and did something…” He just believed
      • Paul saw this as the gospel in the OT
  • Abraham wasn’t righteous, but his faith changed everything. NOT his works.
  • Romans 4:5 (ESV) 5 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness.
    • Piper: “When faith is born in the soul, we are still ungodly.” 
      • We haven’t done a single good work. 
      • We haven’t obeyed even one commandment.
      • We haven’t even yet been baptized!
    • And then Paul says something that couldn’t be clearer re: baptism…
• Romans 4:10-11 (ESV) 10 How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. 11 He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised.
  • In the same way, righteousness is counted to us before baptism, not after! 
  • Note: one of Paul’s points is that Gentiles do not need circumcision to be saved.
    • It goes against the argument to say they need to be baptized instead!
      • Just replacing one outward symbol with another
• The thief on the cross is another example of this principle: salvation has always been by faith
  • For those before Christ, faith is looking forward
  • For us today, faith is looking backward
    • Either way, it’s all salvation by faith in Jesus
    • There wasn’t one way to be saved in OT and a different way in NT
  • For thief on cross, his salvation worked just like Abraham
    • He believed Jesus, 
    • repented of his previous way of thinking (mocking)
    • And Jesus said “today you’ll be with me in paradise”
      • But he had not been baptized! 

Here’s the point: Baptism is an important symbol and ordinance, but it’s not the active ingredient of salvation. We are saved by faith alone, and Peter’s first sermon teaches us that true faith requires repentance.

• God is not waiting for us to get baptized to declare that our sins are forgiven
  • He clearly didn’t require it before Jesus died (eg. Abraham and the thief)
  • Why would he make salvation harder after Jesus died?! 
• Baptism is an ordinance and a symbol
  • An ordinance: a commandment that we should obey!
    • Not a sacrament that saves us
    • Don’t miss the point and neglect baptism
    • You should do it if you have trusted in Jesus
  • And a symbol of the death and resurrection of Jesus 
  • Romans 6:3-4 (ESV) 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
• So what’s the active ingredient?
  • Faith. (We are saved by faith alone.)
    • But that is not simply believing a bunch of facts about Jesus.
    • True faith requires repentance
      • Repent = metanoia = change your mind and attitude
        • (Pillar New Testament Commentary) In Acts 2:38, repentance means a radical reorientation of life with respect to Jesus, expressing sorrow for having rejected the one accredited by God as Lord and Christ (cf. 2:22-36).
        • In The Pursuit we call it a new “attitude”
          • A submitted heart toward Jesus: “What should we do?”
            • It will eventually impact our actions

But at the point of faith it is only an attitude of submission.

Today we’re finishing up our study of Acts chapter 2. Can you believe it took us 5 weeks to get through this chapter? This won’t happen for every chapter throughout our study. In fact next week we’re going to cover all of chapter 3 in 1 week. but today we finished the chapter with a glimpse into what the early church was like. In particular, we get to see the secret sauce for church growth. We’re going to answer this question: How do you grow a church?

Church growth statistics:

• As of 2020, there were approximately 2.3 billion Christians worldwide, making up about 31% of the global population.
• Pentecostalism and Charismatic movements are among the fastest-growing Christian denominations globally.
• Africa and Asia are experiencing significant growth. Sub-Saharan Africa is expected to have the largest number of Christians by 2060.
• In the United States, weekly church attendance dropped from about 39% in 2013 to around 29% in recent years.
• Headed in Europe’s direction?
  • In the Netherlands, regular church attendance fell from approximately 50% in the 1950s to below 10% by the early 2000s.
  • United Kingdom, Sweden, Denmark: regular church attendance at or below 5%.
• Note: “church attendance” doesn’t capture the whole picture, but it gives us an idea. Truth is, many attendees aren’t even Christians! (stats don’t include house churches or nature Christians)

Today we’re going to try to learn from the early church to see what they did to grow…. I see 7 marks of healthy church growth; if you’re a pastor, leader, attender, consider how you do in each of these areas.

Seven Marks of Healthy Church Growth:

1. Baptisms
   • Acts 2:41 (NLT) 41 Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.
   • (Pillar New Testament Commentary) The population of Jerusalem at the time is estimated to have been between 180,000 and 200,000. Even 3,000 converts in the temple precincts would have been ‘a distinct minority of the crowd.’
   • Principle: Healthy church growth is conversion growth, not transfer growth.
   • Jesus: “Go make disciples…” meant something different than what it means in most churches today. (Pursuit)
2. Biblical Teaching
   • (NLT) 42 All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching,
   • (Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Abridged Edition (2 Volumes)) “The apostles’ teaching ” refers to a body of material considered authoritative because it was the message about Jesus of Nazareth proclaimed by accredited apostles. It undoubtedly included a compilation of the words of Jesus (cf. 20:35), some account of his earthly ministry, passion, and resurrection (cf. 2:22-24), and a declaration of what all this meant for humanity’s redemption (cf. 1Co 15:3-5)–all of which was thought of in terms of a Christian “tradition” that could be passed on to others (cf. 1Co 11:2; 1Th 2:13; 2Th 2:15; 3:6).
   • 1 Corinthians 15:3-5 (NLT) 3 I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. 5 He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve.
   • 2 Thessalonians 2:15 (NLT) 15 With all these things in mind, dear brothers and sisters, stand firm and keep a strong grip on the teaching we passed on to you both in person and by letter.
3. Authentic Community
   • 42 (NLT) and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper)
   • (Pillar New Testament Commentary) to the fellowship (tē koinōnia). The koinōn- words in Greek normally mean ‘to share with someone in something’ above and beyond the relationship itself, or ‘to give someone a share in something.’ The sharing in this case could simply refer to material blessings, as described in vv. 44-5, where we are told that the believers had everything in common (koina).
   • This is key for our church. (expand)
     • Small groups
     • Mens/women’s groups
     • Student groups
     • Friend groups
4. Commitment to Prayer
   • 42 (NLT) and to prayer.
   • (Pillar New Testament Commentary) Finally, they devoted themselves ‘to the prayers’ (tais proseuchais). The plural form with the article in Greek suggests that the reference is to specific ‘prayers’ (KJV, NRSV, ESV), rather than to prayer in general (TNIV, to prayer). In the context, this most obviously points to their continuing participation in the set times of prayer at the temple (cf. 3:1 note).
   • Morning Prayer (Shacharit): around 9 am. It included recitations of the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4-9) and the Amidah (the central prayer of Jewish liturgy).
     1. The disciples were likely at morning prayer on the day of Pentecost when the Spirit was given.
   • Afternoon Prayer (Minchah): around 3 pm.
   • Evening Prayer (Ma’ariv): after sunset.
   • At our church:
     • Corporate prayer at services, small groups
     • Praying for the body throughout the week
     • Personal prayer lives of individuals
5. Financial Generosity
   • Acts 2:44-45 (NLT) 44 And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. 45 They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need.
     • Sounds extreme, but consider the example of the couple who literally gave their home away.
     • The Giving Pledge: Initiated by Warren Buffett and Bill Gates, it encourages billionaires to pledge at least half of their wealth to philanthropy. Over 200 individuals and families have signed on. Buffett committed to giving away 99% of his wealth.
     • Mackenzie Scott: Following her divorce from Jeff Bezos, donated billions to various organizations, including LGBTQ+ rights.
     • Christians: don’t let the secular world outgive you! Let’s be generous givers.
     • Reverse-tithers
       • R.G. LeTourneau practiced reverse tithing, giving away 90% of his income to charitable causes and living on the remaining 10%. 
       • Rick Warren, author of the best-selling book “The Purpose Driven Life” and pastor of Saddleback Church, has practiced reverse tithing for many years. After the success of his book, he and his wife decided to give away 90% of their income and live on the remaining 10%. He also returned 25 years of salary to his church and stopped taking a salary from the church thereafter.
       • John Wesley, the 18th-century founder of Methodism, practiced and preached the principle of living simply to give more generously. Despite earning a significant income from his writings, he lived on a modest amount and gave away the majority of his earnings.
       • David Green, the founder of Hobby Lobby
       • Truett Cathy, the founder of Chick-fil-A
       • Shoeshiner example: Albert Lexie, though not a millionaire, was a shoe shiner who practiced extraordinary generosity. Over 30 years, he donated over $200,000 in tips to the Free Care Fund at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, living on a minimal income himself.
   • V45 comes from Jesus himself: Luke 12:33-34 (NLT) 33 “Sell your possessions and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure will be safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it. 34 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.”
6. Friendly to Outsiders
   • 47 (NLT) all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people.
   • (Pillar New Testament Commentary) it is possible to translate the Greek ‘having goodwill towards all the people’, which would be appropriate to the context.
   • Either way the point is the same: healthy churches are friendly to outsiders, so outsiders are hungry for what the church has to offer. 
   • “Seeker-friendly” is criticized by some today, but that’s a good description of the early church!
     1. User-Friendly Services 
     2. Avoiding Church Jargon 
     3. Casual Atmosphere
   • Seeker-friendly isn’t the problem; watering down the Bible is. 
7. Christ-dependent 
   • 47 (NLT) And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.
   • Church growth is Jesus’ work! 
     1. We make disciples. Jesus builds the church. (Steve Murrell)
   • Mt 16:18 (NLT) I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.

Close

Healthy things grow, and a healthy church is marked by disciple-makers.

Have you ever heard of the “name it and claim it” movement? It encourages people to “speak into existence” whatever they want, and if they really believe it, it will happen. Maybe you’ve heard some of these names: 

• Kenneth Hagin 
• Kenneth Copeland
• Benny Hinn
• Joyce Meyer
• Joel Osteen

No hang on, before you get fired up and hit eject on this podcast, hear me out. I know some of you have probably listened to some of these teachers, and maybe you’ve learned some helpful things. you might have one of their books or maybe even you came to faith because of their ministry. That’s great! But at least a part of their teaching is very dangerous, and that’s what I want to address in today’s podcast. 

And before we get to Acts chapter 3 to answer the question, let’s look at 

A Brief History of the Word of Faith Movement:

The Word of Faith movement, also known as the “prosperity gospel” or “health and wealth gospel,” has its roots in the early 20th century, with influences from several theological streams and key figures. Here is a brief history of its development:

Early Influences

• New Thought Movement: The New Thought movement, which began in the late 19th century, emphasized the power of the mind, positive thinking, and the belief that thoughts could influence material reality. Phineas Quimby (1802–1866) was an American spiritual healer, mesmerist, and the founder of the movement. (Not a Christian.)
  • Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of Christian Science, was one of Quimby’s patients. Although Eddy later developed her own theological system, elements of Quimby’s teachings can be seen in the early foundations of Christian Science.
• E.W. Kenyon: Often considered a foundational figure in the development of the Word of Faith theology, E.W. Kenyon (1867-1948) blended elements of New Thought with traditional Christian beliefs. Kenyon’s teachings emphasized the power of words and the concept of “positive confession.”

Core Teachings

• God-like Nature: Copeland has controversially suggested that Adam had a god-like status before the Fall, reflecting the idea of humans being little gods or having divine attributes. Jesus’ redemptive work aims to restore what was lost in the Fall, allowing believers to reclaim their authority and dominion through faith. 
• Positive Confession: Copeland teaches that Adam had the power to speak things into existence, similar to how God created the world with His words. Believers can have this same power:
  • “Words are spiritual containers, and your words create your future.”
  • “Our words create our destiny.”
• The faith-force: Copeland portrays faith as a tangible, powerful force that believers can harness to influence their circumstances and manifest God’s promises in their lives.
  • “Faith is a spiritual force. It is substance. Faith has the ability to effect natural substance.”
  • This concept is often summarized by phrases like “speak it into existence” or “name it and claim it,” emphasizing the power of positive confession.

2 Timothy 4:3-4 (NLT) 3 For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will reject the truth and chase after myths.

Today we’re going to study a chapter that the Word of Faith guys love… but misinterpret. We’re going to show you what it’s really saying, not what our itching ears want it to say. 

The Healing

Acts 3:1-2 (NLT) 1 Peter and John went to the Temple one afternoon to take part in the three o’clock prayer service. 2 As they approached the Temple, a man lame from birth was being carried in. Each day he was put beside the Temple gate, the one called the Beautiful Gate, so he could beg from the people going into the Temple.

• (Pillar New Testament Commentary) Even though Jesus had implied that he would replace the temple in the plan and purpose of God (cf. Mt. 12:6; Jn. 2:19-22; 4:21-4), his disciples did not immediately disengage themselves from the temple and separate themselves from the traditional practices of their religion…. The temple area remained an important context for that witness until they were excluded from it by mounting opposition to the gospel. 

Acts 3:3-6 (NLT) 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for some money. 4 Peter and John looked at him intently, and Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 The lame man looked at them eagerly, expecting some money. 6 But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!”

• Expecting some money: major problem with name it and claim it theology: they’re the ones expecting some money! So many of them exploit the poor, needy, and desperate
  • Takeaway: be careful which ministries you support 
• Get up and walk: But what about physical healing? the beggar would get that for sure. is it something that we can claim in the name of Jesus whenever we need it? Not exactly.
  • Miracles still happen today, but we do not have the power to demand them. Related: https://www.pursuegod.org/should-we-believe-in-miracles-today/ 
    • The purpose of miracles in scripture was to authenticate God’s message. That’s why we often see miracles tapering off after God’s messenger has been validated. John 20:31
    • Even in Jesus’ ministry on earth, his miracles tapered off after a while. He said sign-seekers were wicked and perverse. Matthew 16:4
    • God can still do whatever he wants, even signs and wonders. But the ongoing miracle in the church today – the thing that validates our message – is love. Galatians 5:22-23
• In the name of Jesus: The power is in Jesus’ name, not in Peter’s words. The problem with the “name it and claim it” mindset is that it minimizes Jesus and maximizes us. Only God has the power to speak things into existence.

Acts 3:7-8 (NLT) 7 Then Peter took the lame man by the right hand and helped him up. And as he did, the man’s feet and ankles were instantly healed and strengthened. 8 He jumped up, stood on his feet, and began to walk! Then, walking, leaping, and praising God, he went into the Temple with them.

• Sounds more like a Name It Claim It passage, right?!
• But let’s read on…

The Opportunity

Acts 3:12-13 (NLT) 12 Peter saw his opportunity and addressed the crowd. “People of Israel,” he said, “what is so surprising about this? And why stare at us as though we had made this man walk by our own power or godliness? 13 For it is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the God of all our ancestors—who has brought glory to his servant Jesus by doing this.

• Peter saw his opportunity – interesting choice of words
  • Name it claim it teachers “see their opportunity” to
    • Ask for money, often exploiting the poor
    • Elevate themselves
  • But pay attention to Peter’s “opportunity”…

Acts 3:16 (NLT) 16 “Through faith in the name of Jesus, this man was healed—and you know how crippled he was before. Faith in Jesus’ name has healed him before your very eyes.”

• Faith in Jesus’ name. He says it twice. 
• The point: the power is in Jesus’ name
  • Not our faith! In fact, our faith is weak
    • It’s not about the size of your faith, it’s about the object of your faith
  • Not our words! We have no power to speak things into existence – we are not “little gods”
• Notice which prayers are answered:
  • John 15:7 (NLT) But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!
  • 1 John 5:14-15 (NLT) And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. 15 And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.
  • Matthew 6:10 (NLT) May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
• Peter was aligned with God’s will when he spoke words of healing over the crippled man. 
  • We can’t just order God around. The more we are aligned with Jesus, the more we can pray according to his will. 
  • Name it claim it objection: “But it’s always God’s will that we have health and wealth.” No!
    • Paul’s Thorn in the Flesh: In 2 Corinthians 12:7-9, Paul speaks about a “thorn in the flesh” that he pleaded with the Lord three times to remove. However, God responded, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 
    • Trophimus: In 2 Timothy 4:20, Paul mentions that he left Trophimus sick in Miletus. This implies that despite being a close associate of Paul, Trophimus was not healed at that time.
    • Timothy’s Frequent Illnesses: In 1 Timothy 5:23, Paul advises Timothy to take a little wine for his stomach and his frequent illnesses. This indicates that Timothy had ongoing health issues that were not miraculously healed.
    • Jesus himself: Acts 3:18 (NLT) 18 But God was fulfilling what all the prophets had foretold about the Messiah—that he must suffer these things.
      • Even Jesus suffered! So must YOU.
  • The point: God never promises health and wealth to his followers. So what does he promise?

The Promise

Acts 3:19-20 (NLT) 19 Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. 20 Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah.

• If we can’t just “name and claim” whatever we want as followers of Jesus, which promises can we expect to receive from Jesus? Acts 3 answers the question:
  • Forgiveness of sins. 
    • Spiritual promise
    • Past, present and future.
  • Times of refreshment.
    • Earthly promise.
    • Spirit-filled life
    • John 7:38-39 (NLT) 38 Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’” 39 (When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him….)

Acts 3:26 (NLT) 26 “When God raised up his servant, Jesus, he sent him first to you people of Israel, to bless you by turning each of you back from your sinful ways.”

• Notice the real “blessing”…
• We can’t name and claim health and wealth. But here’s what God does promise: forgiveness and refreshment. That’s a better blessing!

What is the fear of the Lord?

• I remember hearing this phrase as a kid and I thought it was a bad thing
• Not supposed to be afraid of God, are we?
• I was told that it’s just talking about “respect”
• Respect God, like you respect a sweet old man
• Grampa Gene
• But then I read verses like this:

Matthew 10:28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

• (Gulp) This is not respecting a sweet old man!
• This is Jesus telling people to fear God. This is in opposition to someone who might say the fear of the Lord is just an Old Testament thing.

I bring up this question because today we’re covering Acts 4:32-5:11. It tells a terrifying story and then lands on this verse:

Acts 5:11 (NLT) 11 Great fear gripped the entire church and everyone else who heard what had happened.

• That’s a BAD thing, right? Wrong. It’s a good thing, and that’s what we’re going to be talking about today. Before we read it, let me ask you a question:
• Do you take God too seriously or too lightly? (put it on a spectrum)
• I think 99% of today’s Christians take him too lightly
• he is just a sweet old grandpa figure
• Today’s story will hopefully swing the pendulum back a bit
• Now let’s get to the text…

The Scary Story

Acts 4:32-35 (NLT) 32 All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had. 33 The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all. 34 There were no needy people among them, because those who owned land or houses would sell them 35 and bring the money to the apostles to give to those in need.

• Another general description of the early church
• More than that… it’s a setup for the two stories to follow…

Acts 4:36-37 (NLT) 36 For instance, there was Joseph, the one the apostles nicknamed Barnabas (which means “Son of Encouragement”). He was from the tribe of Levi and came from the island of Cyprus. 37 He sold a field he owned and brought the money to the apostles.

• There are lots of cool nicknames: “Air Jordan”, “The Rock”, “Billy the Kid”, but how cool would it be to have the nickname “Son of Encouragement”.” Now that’s a guy I want to hang around. Do you have some encouragers in your life?
• This is almost certainly the same Barnabus who shows up three more times in Acts (9:26-7; 11:22-6; 15:37)
• A positive example of generosity in the early church
• (Pillar New Testament Commentary) Although only a field was sold, ownership of land was the principal source of wealth and social standing in the Greco-Roman world. Barnabas thus embodies the ideal of the ‘servant-benefactor’, well known in that culture…
• To contrast what’s about to come…

Acts 5:1-2 (NLT) 1 But there was a certain man named Ananias who, with his wife, Sapphira, sold some property. 2 He brought part of the money to the apostles, claiming it was the full amount. With his wife’s consent, he kept the rest.

• The big “but”
• There was Joseph… but there was Ananias (Which one are YOU?)
• Remember there were no chapters in the original manuscript. Luke starts verse 1 with “But”.  He is specifically contrasting something about Barnabas with something about Ananias and Sapphira.
• Note: this wasn’t actually about the money, as we’ll see
• It was about the heart
• It was about wanting to look good (hypocrisy)
• Maybe they were hoping for a cool nickname with the bringing of this gift.

(We’re getting to the scary part…)

Acts 5:3-4 (NLT) 3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, why have you let Satan fill your heart? You lied to the Holy Spirit, and you kept some of the money for yourself. 4 The property was yours to sell or not sell, as you wished. And after selling it, the money was also yours to give away. How could you do a thing like this? You weren’t lying to us but to God!”

• You lied to the HS… to God
• More evidence that the HS is God!
• Side note: God’s attitude toward generosity
• The property was yours to sell or not
• The money was yours to give away or not
• 2 Corinthians 9:7 (NLT) You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”

(Back to the text, and here’s the terrifying part…)

Acts 5:5-6 (NLT) 5 As soon as Ananias heard these words, he fell to the floor and died. Everyone who heard about it was terrified. 6 Then some young men got up, wrapped him in a sheet, and took him out and buried him.

• Wait… what?! Does this sound like the God you know?
• A lot of Christians want to skip over this story, hard to explain
• Doesn’t sound like “Your Best Life Now” that is promised by those modern-day preachers
• Well I’m not going to explain it away.
• It really happened.
• It really was God’s doing.
• And it freaked everyone out

But there’s more…

Acts 5:7-10 (NLT) 7 About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 Peter asked her, “Was this the price you and your husband received for your land?” “Yes,” she replied, “that was the price.” 9 And Peter said, “How could the two of you even think of conspiring to test the Spirit of the Lord like this? The young men who buried your husband are just outside the door, and they will carry you out, too.” 10 Instantly, she fell to the floor and died. When the young men came in and saw that she was dead, they carried her out and buried her beside her husband.

• This is a great story to remind us of a couple things:
• God is all-powerful
• We are not

Acts 5:11 (NLT) 11 Great fear gripped the entire church and everyone else who heard what had happened.

• This is the proper response to God
• Too many people in today’s culture (and church) forget this
• So let’s answer the question: What is the fear of the Lord?

Reverent Awe

The fear of the Lord is a reverent awe of God.

• So much more than just “respect”
• Recognizing his transcendence, holiness, power, judgment
• Not just being afraid of what he can do to you
• But that’s definitely a part of it
• That’s why “great fear” gripped the church in Acts 5
• Ex: Kenzie disobeyed, said, “That’s OK…”
• But it wasn’t OK. And I disciplined her. Then she didn’t simply “respect” me like a sweet old man anymore.
• Belles: It’s not a walking on eggshells kind of fear that God might lash out at any moment. I feared my dad’s authority. I feared his power. I loved him and knew he loved me. I didn’t fear unjust punishment or random unkindness, but I feared when I had done wrong and knew I would have to answer to him.

Building Block

The fear of the Lord is the building block for knowledge.

• Let me say it another way: You can’t really know anything in this life until you see God for who he is and you see yourself for who you are… and you acknowledge the infinite gap between the two positions.
• Even simpler: If you think you’re on the throne of your life, you’re a moron.
• Fear of the Lord is not a building block for knowledge. It’s the building block.
• Once that block is in place, you can start learning.
• Because you say, “You know it all. I know nothing.”
• Like at the end of Job: “I’ll shut up now and let you speak.”
• Can you imagine:
• Helping Michael Phelps with swimming
• Or helping Elon Musk with making money
• Or helping God with the rules in the Garden (“Did God really say…”)
• Defn of sin: trusting and acting on your own opinions and feelings instead of on God’s truth. (ie, not fearing God)
• You have nothing to offer God until you see the gap between you and him
• This is fear of the Lord, and it’s the building block for knowledge.
• The first chapter of Proverbs makes it clear:

Proverbs 1:7 (NLT) 7 Fear of the LORD is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

• “What the alphabet is to reading, notes to reading music, and numerals to mathematics, the fear of the LORD is to attaining the revealed knowledge of this book.” (Waltke)
• Beginning has the sense of “the first and controlling principle, rather than a stage which one leaves behind; cf. Eccl. 12:13.” (Kidner)
• Fools don’t just lack knowledge. They despise it. They purposefully choose to reject wisdom. Current examples:
• Gender issue (People testifying before congress that men can have babies.)
• abortion (a drunk driver who kills a pregnant woman can be charged with two counts of vehicular manslaughter in many states, but some of those same states allow abortion.)

Close

So how should we think about this God described in Acts 5? Is he worth following?

• “Aslan is a lion – the Lion, the great Lion.” said Mr Beaver. “Ooh” said Susan. “I’d thought he was a man. Is he – quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion”… “Safe?” said Mr Beaver … “Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.” ― C.S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

1 John 4:18 (NLT) … perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.

• What about the many passages of Scripture, Old and New Testament (such as Ecclesiastes 12:13 and 1 Peter 2:17), which tell us we should fear God? The fear John writes of here is not the appropriate reverence we should all have of God, but the kind of fear which involves torment – that agonizing kind of fear which robs our soul of all joy and confidence before God. It is the fear that is the opposite of boldness in the day of judgment.

The justice of God met the love of God at the cross. When we trust Jesus for salvation, we can fear God without being afraid of judgment.

How does divine intervention work today?

We read about the way that God intervened in human affairs in the Bible. Does he still do that today? And if not, Why not? That’s what we’ll look at in our text today (Acts 5:12-42) where we see three examples of divine intervention (miracles, angels, and one more…)

Before we get to the text, let’s make this question personal. Have you ever found yourself in an impossible situation where you needed some divine intervention? Your back was against the wall, and if God didn’t show up you’d be in a world of hurt…

• Early days of Alpine: we emptied our bank accounts and were still $2000 short. Went to the mailbox day of closing to find a $2000 check from out of state friends!
• Some of you might be in a similar place
  • Financially
  • Relationally
  • Emotionally
  • Physically
  • Spiritually

Today, in our passage we are actually going to see a couple of unlikely interventions orchestrated by God to get people out of own impossible situations. Let’s get to the text…

Miracles

Acts 5:12-16 (NLT) 12 The apostles were performing many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers were meeting regularly at the Temple in the area known as Solomon’s Colonnade. 13 But no one else dared to join them, even though all the people had high regard for them. 14 Yet more and more people believed and were brought to the Lord—crowds of both men and women. 15 As a result of the apostles’ work, sick people were brought out into the streets on beds and mats so that Peter’s shadow might fall across some of them as he went by. 16 Crowds came from the villages around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those possessed by evil spirits, and they were all healed.

• • The most amazing kind of divine intervention: miracles. A couple of observations about the text:
    • This was a direct answer to their prayers from ch 4: Acts 4:30 “Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
    • The purpose was to validate their message, point people to Jesus. It wasn’t about the apostles! 
    • Peter’s shadow: note how the ESV says it: Acts 5:15 (ESV) they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them.
      • The Bible doesn’t actually say that they were healed this way, but rather that they hoped they would be.

• But the big question: does God still intervene like this today?

• • • We covered this a few weeks ago in Acts 3. Here’s a reminder of some of the talking points:
      • Miracles still happen today, but we do not have the power to demand them. The Bible teaches that only God has the power to speak things into existence.
        • As opposed to “name it and claim it” theo
      • We can’t just order God around. The more we are aligned with Jesus, the more we can pray according to his will.
        • John 15:7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!

• So why don’t we see this as much today? 

• • • Maybe we don’t need it to validate our message.
      • Even in Jesus’ ministry on earth, his miracles tapered off after a while. He said sign-seekers were wicked and perverse. (Mt 16:4)
    • Maybe it’s our lack of faith. (wake up call)
    • Maybe it’s our lack of desperation. 

But that’s just the first kind of divine intervention in the text. There’s more! 

Angels

Acts 5:17-21 (NLT) 17 The high priest and his officials, who were Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. 18 They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. 19 But an angel of the Lord came at night, opened the gates of the jail, and brought them out. Then he told them, 20 “Go to the Temple and give the people this message of life!” 21 So at daybreak the apostles entered the Temple, as they were told, and immediately began teaching.

• What does the Bible say about angels? 
  • The Bible has a lot to say about angels, and some of it will surprise the modern ear. For starters, angels are a different species than humans; they are not the souls of dead people!
  • Nature: Angels are created by God (Colossians 1:16) and are spiritual beings (Hebrews 1:14). 
    • They don’t look like what you think. They often announced: “Fear not!” IOW, they’re terrifying! Danish film studio’s wicked attempt at putting what the Old Testament prophets describe to CGI: Check out this video.

• Messengers: The word “angel” means “messenger,” and they often serve as God’s messengers to humans. 
  • Ex: Gabriel appeared to Mary to announce the birth of Jesus (Luke 1:26-38).
• Warriors: Angels engage in spiritual warfare, battling against evil forces. Michael, the archangel, is often associated with this role (Revelation 12:7-9).
• Numerous: The Bible describes a vast number of angels organized into ranks or orders (Revelation 5:11, Colossians 1:16).
• Protectors: Angels are sometimes seen protecting or delivering God’s people. (Acts 5, Acts 12).

• Q. Do angels still work like this today?
  • Hebrews 1:14 (NLT) 14 Therefore, angels are only servants—spirits sent to care for people who will inherit salvation.
  • Some Christians believe that every person has a guardian angel assigned by God to protect and guide them.
  • Cessationist View: Some Christians, particularly in Reformed and evangelical traditions, believe that while angels exist, their direct intervention in human affairs may be less common or more subtle today. They argue that with the completed revelation of Scripture, God primarily guides and protects through the Holy Spirit and His Word, rather than through angelic visitations.
  • Continuationist View: Many Christians, especially those in charismatic and Pentecostal traditions, believe that angels continue to intervene in the lives of believers today. They cite personal testimonies of protection, guidance, or miraculous events that they attribute to angelic activity.

Trans: there’s one more kind of divine intervention in the text. This one is the most unexpected type…

People

Acts 5:26-28 (NLT) 26 The captain went with his Temple guards and arrested the apostles, but without violence, for they were afraid the people would stone them. 27 Then they brought the apostles before the high council, where the high priest confronted them. 28 “We gave you strict orders never again to teach in this man’s name!” he said. “Instead, you have filled all Jerusalem with your teaching about him, and you want to make us responsible for his death!”

The disciples wouldn’t relent. Continued to reject their authority, and then…

Acts 5:33-35 (NLT) 33 When they heard this, the high council was furious and decided to kill them. 34 But one member, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, who was an expert in religious law and respected by all the people, stood up and ordered that the men be sent outside the council chamber for a while. 35 Then he said to his colleagues, “Men of Israel, take care what you are planning to do to these men!

Acts 5:38-39 (NLT) 38 “So my advice is, leave these men alone. Let them go. If they are planning and doing these things merely on their own, it will soon be overthrown. 39 But if it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God!”

• Sometimes God intervenes directly through people
  • Even people who don’t acknowledge him
  • Ex: Cyrus in OT

Close

Romans 8:28 (NLT) 28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

• He might use miracles, angels, or even regular old people
• Or he might not intervene in any of these ways
  • 7:57-60 Stephen’s martyrdom
  • 12:1-2 James’ death
  • 21:30-36 Paul’s extended imprisonment

Welcome back as we continue our journey through the bool of Acts. Today we’re starting a 4-week mini-series on salvation, and we’ll be answering this question: Is anyone too far gone for God?

Q. Is anyone too far gone for God? (Acts 8:26-40)

• I often meet people who assume the answer is yes…
• Past Sins: Many people believe that their past mistakes, whether big or small, make them unworthy of God’s love and forgiveness. They may feel too “dirty” or guilty to be accepted.
• Current Sins: Those battling ongoing struggles, such as addiction or habitual sin, may feel trapped in their behavior and believe that God has turned away from them.
• Feelings of Unworthiness: Some individuals struggle with low self-esteem or feelings of inadequacy. They may feel they’re not “good enough” for God because of how they perceive themselves, often because of sins against them.
• Spiritual Doubts: People who struggle with doubt or uncertainty about their faith might think God would reject them for not being “strong” believers. Compare your faith with someone else’s.
• Today we’re going to see the story of a guy who was definitely too far gone for God, at least from a Jewish religious perspective. But he kept seeking anyway, and he found the surprising answer to this question: No one is too far gone for God!
• Let’s get to the text…

Desert Road

Acts 8:26 (NLT) 26 As for Philip, an angel of the Lord said to him, “Go south down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza.”

• Last week: Philip was in Samaria leading a revival!
• Must have seemed strange that God would send him away from Samaria to a desert road going nowhere!
• Away from Jerusalem, where God was on the move
• Toward Gaza – either the old city, destroyed by Alexander Jannaeus in 96 BC, or the newer city which replaced it in 56 BC (Pillar New Testament Commentary)
• (IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, Second Edition) Philip might have no one to preach to on a little-traveled road that would lead by a deserted city, and after the revival in Samaria this command must seem absurd to him; but God had often tested faith through apparently absurd commands (e.g., Ex 14:16; 1 Kings 17:3-4, 9-14; 2 Kings 5:10). The term translated “south” can also mean “noon”; traveling at noon was very rare (see 22:6; comment on Jn 4:5-6), so this detail, if intended, would make the command seem even more absurd.
• Barrett 1994, 422-3. There are 25 uses of mesēmbria in the LXX and all except Dn. 8:4, 9, appear to mean ‘midday’. Cf. Acts 22:6 for Saul’s conversion ‘at noon’ (peri mesēmbrian). Spencer 1997, 94, argues that travel at such an extraordinary time and under such unusual circumstances has the literary effect of suggesting an opportunity for ‘world shattering knowledge and experience’.
• Desert road leading nowhere – is that where you find yourself metaphorically?
• God sent Philip there with a message to share
• Now he just had to see who was traveling down that road…

The Eunuch

Acts 8:27-28 (NLT) 27 So he started out, and he met the treasurer of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under the Kandake, the queen of Ethiopia. The eunuch had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and he was now returning. Seated in his carriage, he was reading aloud from the book of the prophet Isaiah.

• Ethiopia = Cush in the Bible, not modern Ethiopia. Today, part of Sudan.
• Is 11: 11 (NLT) In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to bring back the remnant of his people—those who remain in Assyria and northern Egypt; in southern Egypt, Ethiopia…
• Zephaniah 3:10 (NLT) My scattered people who live beyond the rivers of Ethiopia (Cush) will come to present their offerings.
• Eunuch = devoted
• to the queen
• Castrated males held positions of honour and trust in oriental courts (cf. Herodotus, Persian Wars 8.105; Philostratus, Apollonius 1:33.6).
• to the God of Israel
• Traveled a long way to worship at the temple
• Even though he could never become a full Israelite
• Deut 23: (NLT) 1 “If a man’s testicles are crushed or his penis is cut off, he may not be admitted to the assembly of the LORD.”
• (P. H. Kern, ‘Paul’s Conversion and Luke’s Portrayal of Character in Acts 8—10’) the eunuch represents ‘the ultimate outsider, not even capable of circumcision should he desire it, and inadmissible to the temple.’
• Probably could go no further than the Court of the Gentiles, and could not even bring any sacrifices required by the Law
• (D. R. Schwarts, ‘On sacrifice by Gentiles in the Temple of Jerusalem’, in Studies in the Jewish Background of Christianity (WUNT 60; Tübingen: Mohr, 1992), 102-116) Gentile sacrifices could have been regarded as gifts brought to the temple authorities for the upkeep of the building or for the use of others in the temple ritual, but not strictly for the benefit of the offerer.
• Reading from Isaiah
• Hungry for scripture
• Devoted beyond the ritualistic trip

Acts 8:29 (NLT) 29 The Holy Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and walk along beside the carriage.”

• What a picture!
• This is the verse we use to describe mentoring
• Walk along beside someone to help them pursue God

Acts 8:30-31 (NLT) 30 Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 The man replied, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” And he urged Philip to come up into the carriage and sit with him.

• More signs of his desperate search
• Philip would have been nasty!
• Yet the eunuch invited him to sit in his bougie carriage

The Passage

Acts 8:32-33 (NLT) 32 The passage of Scripture he had been reading was this:

“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter.

And as a lamb is silent before the shearers,

he did not open his mouth.

33 He was humiliated and received no justice.

Who can speak of his descendants?

For his life was taken from the earth.”

• Isaiah 53:7b-
• So he had already read this part:
• 3 He was despised and rejected—a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.
• The eunuch could relate!
• 6 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on him the sins of us all.
• The eunuch recognized he was a sinner

Acts 8:34-35 (NLT) 34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, was the prophet talking about himself or someone else?” 35 So beginning with this same Scripture, Philip told him the Good News about Jesus.

• Philip knew the secret: all of scripture points to Jesus
• Beginning with this same Scripture (Is 53) implies Philip kept reading…

Isaiah 56:3-5 (NLT) 3 “Don’t let foreigners who commit themselves to the LORD say,

‘The LORD will never let me be part of his people.’

And don’t let the eunuchs say,

‘I’m a dried-up tree with no children and no future.’

4 For this is what the LORD says:

I will bless those eunuchs

who keep my Sabbath days holy

and who choose to do what pleases me

and commit their lives to me.

5 I will give them—within the walls of my house—

a memorial and a name

far greater than sons and daughters could give.

For the name I give them is an everlasting one.

It will never disappear!

Close

Q. Is anyone too far gone for God? (Acts 8:26-40)

• No! This is what the eunuch learned: his uncleanness, his unworthiness, his unJewishness, nothing could separate him from God anymore. Jesus opened the door for him with his death and resurrection, and the same is true for you. Don’t let your
• Past Sins
• Current Sins
• Feelings of Unworthiness
• Spiritual Doubts
• …get in the way of a relationship with God.

Romans 8:38-39 (NLT) 38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

• Gospel Close

Want to put your faith in Jesus? Check out this topic.

How Does Spiritual Conversion Actually Work?

• Part 18 in our Acts series!!
• Part 2 in our mini-series on “Salvation”
  • Last week: Is Anyone Too Far Gone for God? (Acts 8:26-40)
    • Answer: No! God can reach you on the desert road to nowhere
  • Today: We’ll look at the dramatic conversion story of Saul (Paul)
    • – and what we can generalize from his experience.
    • His case is so interesting, because 
      • One, we have it on record
      • Two, his later writings give us the answer to this question!
• I want to start by asking you how it worked for you
  • How did you come to faith in Jesus? 
  • Or, for some of you: have you come to faith in Jesus?
    • If you’re not sure, we’ll invite you at the end of this message

First, what do we mean by conversion?

• Sys Theo #8: “Elements of Salvation” 
  • Broadly speaking, salvation is the application of the work of Christ to the life of individual persons. At its core, the word means “deliverance”…
    • From sin
    • From alienation from others
    • From guilt and shame
    • And more!!!
    • Galatians 1:4 (NLT) 4 Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live.
  • “Conversion” is one of the elements of salvation
    • Other elements: intellectual assent, conviction, illumination,
    • Conversion marks the beginning of the Christian life. Conversion is the individual’s response to the gospel invitation. It can be considered as a single event with two inseparable aspects: repentance and faith (Mark 1:15; Acts 20:21).
    • 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT) 17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
    • Actual conversion is instantaneous, but viewed from a human perspective, it may not be possible to pinpoint when it occurred. At some point, a person responds to the gospel in repentance and faith and is made alive by God. But the reality of that conversion may not be apparent until much later, as it begins to bear fruit.
    • Conversion doesn’t happen the same way for everyone. Today we’ll look at how it happened for Saul – let’s get to the text…

Acts 9:1-2 (NLT) 1 Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers. So he went to the high priest. 2 He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains.

• “Followers of the Way” – they weren’t called Christians yet. Still just Jews in the synagogues who believed that Jesus was the way!
  • It’s a way, not just a set of beliefs. 
    • ‘the way of salvation’ (16:17), 
    • ‘the way of the Lord’ (18:25) 
    • ‘the way of God’ (18:26)
    • Mk 14 (NLT) You teach the way of God truthfully.
    • John 14:6 (NLT) 6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.
• There are only two ways:
  • The Way that leads to life: the way of Jesus
  • The Way that leads to death: which goes by a million other names
  • Matthew 7:13-14 (ESV) 13 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”
  • Conversion happens when you leave the way of death to follow the way of Jesus.

Acts 9:3-4 (NLT) 3 As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”

• Not just a light; later (Acts 22, 26) Paul says he saw Jesus
  • 2 Corinthians 4:6 (NLT) 6 For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.
  • The point: No one can be converted without seeing Jesus for who he is. 
    • When Saul saw this, he fell to the ground
      • Like other stories of people seeing God (Ezk. 1:28; Dn. 8:17; Rev. 1:17)
• Then the question: why are you persecuting me?
  • (Pillar New Testament Commentary) Properly understood, this question would challenge his whole belief system and pattern of life.
    • IOW this was the fork in the road
      • We all come there when we meet Jesue
        • Will you continue with your old way that leads to death
        • Or will you repent and follow the way of Jesus?
    • For Paul, this was the beginning of CONVICTION

Acts 9:5-6 (NLT) 5 “Who are you, lord?” Saul asked. And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! 6 Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

• For Paul, this was the beginning of INTELLECTUAL ASSENT
  • Learning the basics of the gospel and who Jesus is
  • Coming to terms with this new information
• Note: Saul is still a seeker here. This still happens today:
  • Jesus begins to reveal himself, sometimes in a shocking manner
  • Our way of living/thinking gets exposed
  • We just have to take the next step
    • Jesus doesn’t give Saul all the answers, just the next step
    • Q. If you’re a seeker, what’s your next step?
      • Read your Bible
      • Find a solid church
      • Meet with a mentor

Acts 9:7-9 (NLT) 7 The men with Saul stood speechless, for they heard the sound of someone’s voice but saw no one! 8 Saul picked himself up off the ground, but when he opened his eyes he was blind. So his companions led him by the hand to Damascus. 9 He remained there blind for three days and did not eat or drink.

• This is the place everyone must come to before conversion: humbled, powerless, like a child
  • My favorite word for it: submission. 
    • Nobody likes that word. That’s why I like it.
    • You can’t come to Jesus unless you’re willing to submit to him
      • There can be only one king on the throne of your life
      • …and you can’t be it
  • Previously, Saul was so arrogant and in charge
    • Now he’s powerless and led by the hand to Damascus
• Matthew 18:3 (NLT) 3 Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.”

Here’s the rest of the story:

Acts 9:10-12 (NLT) 10 Now there was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord!” he replied. 11 The Lord said, “Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now. 12 I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so he can see again.”

• Again, humiliating for Saul
• He was going to Damascus to imprison guys like Ananias!?
  • Now he’s going to receive healing from this guy

Acts 9:13-16 (NLT) 13 “But Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem! 14 And he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon your name.” 15 But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. 16 And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake.”

• What a turn around! 

Acts 9:17-19 (NLT) 17 So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. 19 Afterward he ate some food and regained his strength.

• This is another essential element on the road to conversion: ILLUMINATION
  • In the biblical sense, “illumination” refers to the work of the Holy Spirit in helping individuals understand and apply the truths of Scripture. It’s the process by which God reveals spiritual truths and insights to believers, enabling them to grasp the meaning of Scripture and how it applies to their lives. 
  • The HS is always illuminating our understanding as Christians, but the first time it happens is groundbreaking: like scales falling from our eyes. Sets us up for conversion. In Paul’s words:
    • 2 Corinthians 3:14 (NLT) 14 But the people’s minds were hardened, and to this day whenever the old covenant is being read, the same veil covers their minds so they cannot understand the truth. And this veil can be removed only by believing in Christ.
    • 2 Corinthians 3:16-17 (NLT) 16 But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
• Notice one more element important to conversion: A believer to share the good news
  • Why didn’t Jesus just do all of this on the road earlier?
  • He wants to use his people to share (that’s what Acts is all about)

Later in Acts Paul explains his conversion with one more important detail:

• He recounts that Ananias said this:
• Acts 22:16 (NLT) 16 ‘What are you waiting for? Get up and be baptized. Have your sins washed away by calling on the name of the Lord.’
  • This is called CONFESSION. Paul later explained it to the Romans:
  • Romans 10:9 (ESV) because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

So, according to Saul’s experience (and later teachings),

1. How Does Spiritual Conversion Actually Work?

Let’s summarize the elements:

• Conviction of sin, recognizing that your old way leads to death
• Intellectual assent, acknowledging that Jesus is who he says he is
• Illumination, letting the HS remove the scales from your eyes
• Culminates in Conversion, which boils down to two earthly responses:
  • Repentance: changing your attitude toward God 
    • And confessing it
  • Faith: trusting Jesus for salvation
• The spiritual benefits include things like
  • Forgiveness of sins,
  • Regeneration: being “born again”
  • Justification: being made right in the court of heaven
  • Adoption: becoming children of God
  • Reception of the HS, as we’ve seen throughout Acts
    • For continued illumination
    • And for empowerment to be his witness!

So, have you been converted?

How Can You Know If You’re Really Saved?

• Part 19 in our Acts series!!
• Part 3 in our mini-series on “How Salvation Works”
  • Two weeks ago: Is Anyone Too Far Gone for God? (Acts 8:26-40)
    • Answer: No! God can reach you on the desert road to nowhere
  • Last week: How Does Spiritual Conversion Actually Work?
    • We’ll looked at the dramatic conversion story of Saul (Paul)
    • – and what we can generalize from his experience.
  • Today: How can you know if you’re really saved? (Acts 9:20-31)
    • Paul went about preaching the gospel immediately
    • The disciples in Jerusalem didn’t believe he was really saved!? After 3 years! 
    • (Pillar New Testament Commentary) Even believers who have seen the power of God at work in their own lives can doubt God’s ability to change others.
• The fancy term for this: “assurance of salvation”
  • Can you have it for yourself?
    • Some people “know that they know” they’re saved, no problems with this
    • So many other people doubt their salvation and live in fear of judgment
• Here’s the thing: you can think you’re saved and NOT be saved
  • False conversions are a thing. Jesus said:
    • Matthew 7:21-23 (NLT) 21 “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. 22 On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ 23 But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’
  • Ouch! One of the most frightening verses in the Bible!
    • So, how can you know? We’ll get to that answer, but let’s start with our text…

Acts 9:19-20 (NLT) Saul stayed with the believers in Damascus for a few days. 20 And immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is indeed the Son of God!”

• Wow! What a transformation in Saul’s life
  • One moment he’s persecuting these messengers of Christianity
  • Next moment he IS a messenger!
• Have you met anyone like this? Total transformation

Acts 9:21 (NLT) 21 All who heard him were amazed. “Isn’t this the same man who caused such devastation among Jesus’ followers in Jerusalem?” they asked. “And didn’t he come here to arrest them and take them in chains to the leading priests?”

Acts 9:22 (NLT) 22 Saul’s preaching became more and more powerful, and the Jews in Damascus couldn’t refute his proofs that Jesus was indeed the Messiah.

• (Pillar New Testament Commentary) When Luke says that Saul grew more and more powerful, the term he uses (enedynamouto) suggests the empowerment of the Spirit.
• Proving from OT, on which he was an expert (scales fell)

Acts 9:23 After a while some of the Jews plotted together to kill him. 24 They were watching for him day and night at the city gate so they could murder him, but Saul was told about their plot. 25 So during the night, some of the other believers lowered him in a large basket through an opening in the city wall.

• (Pillar New Testament Commentary) This signifies the completion of a significant period in the narrative (cf. Lk. 9:51) and is consistent with the mention of a three-year gap between his conversion and his first journey to Jerusalem as a Christian:
  • Galatians 1:15-18 (NLT) 15 But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him 16 to reveal his Son to me so that I would proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles. 
  • When this happened, I did not rush out to consult with any human being. 17 Nor did I go up to Jerusalem to consult with those who were apostles before I was. Instead, I went away into Arabia, and later I returned to the city of Damascus. 18 Then three years later I went to Jerusalem to get to know Peter, and I stayed with him for fifteen days.

Acts 9:26 (NLT) 26 When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to meet with the believers, but they were all afraid of him. They did not believe he had truly become a believer!

• Now you know why this was our question of the day.
  • Saul had been a Christian for 3 years, yet the Jerusalem believers doubted it
• They (all of them?) thought he was a false convert! (still afraid of him)
  • Would YOU have? 
  • Have YOU ever struggled to truly believe in the life-changing power of Jesus? 
    • In someone else’s life
    • In your own life

So, back to our question:

1. How Can You Know If You’re Really Saved?

• Paul himself later raises this question to some “believers” in Corinth:
• 2 Corinthians 13:5 (NLT) 5 Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith.
  • This is Saul, now called Paul, writing to the Christian church in Corinth. It’s jacked up. There’s stuff going on there that’s not Christian at all. And there are two questions that must be answered to see if their faith would pass the test: 
    • First, will they believe Paul’s message?
      • They didn’t like what he was saying. They were even challenging his authority as an apostle. That was the test.
        • It was Saul’s test, too, last week: When Jesus called out Saul and challenged his understanding, he shockingly submitted to him. 
        • Now it was the Corinthians’ turn. Would they submit to the truth?
    • Second, will they repent and turn from their own way?
      • Remember last week: Christianity is a way, not just a set of beliefs.
      • True conversion happens when you leave the way of death to follow the way of Jesus.
        • These so-called believers were not following the way of Jesus
          • Paul was calling them out on it, and their response would tell him if their faith was genuine. 
          • 1 John 3:9-10 (ESV) 9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. 10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.

Let’s finish the question for Saul:

Acts 9:27 (NLT) 27 Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and told them how Saul had seen the Lord on the way to Damascus and how the Lord had spoken to Saul. He also told them that Saul had preached boldly in the name of Jesus in Damascus.

• We met this guy earlier. The encourager. Living up to his name.
• Ananias vouched for Saul in Damascus because he saw Jesus in a vision.
• Barnabus vouched for Saul in Jerusalem because he saw a changed life.

Acts 9:28 (NLT) 28 So Saul stayed with the apostles and went all around Jerusalem with them, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord.

• They realized he was a true believer, and he
  • Stayed with them
  • Preaching with them
• Saul’s story had a clear answer: he was saved, no doubt about it. 

What about you?

Three simple questions to know if you’re truly saved (full circle):

• Have you trusted Jesus for salvation? (nothing else can save, but it’s more than mere confession)
• Do you live your life to honor God? (practice righteousness vs practice sinning)
• Do you care enough to share with others? (make disciples)
  • This might be the ultimate litmus test. 
  • In the book of Acts, all of the believers did more than receive the message; they shared it.

Acts 9:31 (NLT) 31 The church then had peace throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, and it became stronger as the believers lived in the fear of the Lord. And with the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it also grew in numbers.

Today we’re in part 4 of our mini-series on how salvation works

• Three weeks ago: Is Anyone Too Far Gone for God? (Acts 8:26-40)
• Answer: No! God can reach you on the desert road to nowhere
• Two weeks ago: How Does Spiritual Conversion Actually Work?
• We’ll looked at the dramatic conversion story of Saul (Paul)
• – and what we can generalize from his experience.
• About the HS opening eyes
• And how faith/repentance changes you in an instant
• From death to life
• From enemy of God to child of God
• Last week: How can you know if you’re really saved? (Acts 9:20-31)
• Paul went about preaching the gospel immediately
• The disciples in Jerusalem didn’t believe he was really saved!? After 3 years!
• We looked at how Christians can have “assurance” of their salvation
• Today to finish up we’ll dig deeper into a theological question:

Q. Did God Change How Salvation Works?

• Have you ever thought about this?
• In the NT
• grace, forgiveness, Jesus
• Jn 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
• Jesus is THE way. But what about in the OT?
• Did salvation work one way in OT before Jesus
• And another way in NT after Jesus?

Q. What was the Old Testament way of salvation?

• Many thought: saved by keeping the commandments
• In Jewish tradition, there are 613 commandments (known as the Mitzvot) in the Torah. These commandments are derived from the five books of Moses (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy) and encompass a wide range of moral, religious, and civil laws. 248 positive commandments (things to do) and 365 negative commandments (things not to do)
• Scholars estimate that around 100 to 150 of the 613 commandments address issues of purity and impurity.
• Dietary Laws (Kashrut): These include commandments related to clean and unclean animals (Leviticus 11, Deuteronomy 14).
• Table fellowship refers to the practice of sharing meals, which in ancient Jewish culture held deep social, religious, and spiritual significance. In the context of the Old Testament and Jewish tradition, sharing a meal symbolized more than just eating together; it represented community, unity, and, in many cases, ritual purity. This practice also reinforced the separation between Jews and Gentiles due to differences in dietary laws and religious observance. Eating with Gentiles, who were considered ritually impure, could defile an observant Jew, requiring purification rites (Leviticus 20:24-26).
• Clean vs. unclean
• So is this how people were saved in OT? Keep yourself clean?

The answer is found in today’s text.

• The passage we’re reading today is groundbreaking.
• The early Christians are going to learn the answer to this question
• …by way of answering a broader question about salvation.
• Here’s the story:

Acts 10:1-6 (NLT) 1 In Caesarea there lived a Roman army officer named Cornelius, who was a captain of the Italian Regiment. 2 He was a devout, God-fearing man, as was everyone in his household. He gave generously to the poor and prayed regularly to God. 3 One afternoon about three o’clock, he had a vision in which he saw an angel of God coming toward him. “Cornelius!” the angel said.

4 Cornelius stared at him in terror. “What is it, sir?” he asked the angel.

And the angel replied, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have been received by God as an offering! 5 Now send some men to Joppa, and summon a man named Simon Peter. 6 He is staying with Simon, a tanner who lives near the seashore.”

Acts 10:9-14 (NLT) 9 The next day as Cornelius’s messengers were nearing the town, Peter went up on the flat roof to pray. It was about noon, 10 and he was hungry. But while a meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11 He saw the sky open, and something like a large sheet was let down by its four corners. 12 In the sheet were all sorts of animals, reptiles, and birds. 13 Then a voice said to him, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat them.”

14 “No, Lord,” Peter declared. “I have never eaten anything that our Jewish laws have declared impure and unclean.”

• Even after Jesus’ teaching on this, Peter still didn’t understand (see below). This would be the moment that he really got it… and its implications for the church.
• Mark 7:18-19 (NLT) 18 “Don’t you understand either?” he asked. “Can’t you see that the food you put into your body cannot defile you? 19 Food doesn’t go into your heart, but only passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer.” (By saying this, he declared that every kind of food is acceptable in God’s eyes.)

Acts 10:15-16 (NLT) 15 But the voice spoke again: “Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.” 16 The same vision was repeated three times. Then the sheet was suddenly pulled up to heaven.

• This is a watershed moment in salvation history
• Peter was learning the answer to our question today
• (Pillar New Testament Commentary) What was implicit in the teaching of Jesus is now made explicit. The clean and unclean provisions of the law were temporary, designed to keep Israel a holy and distinct people, until the time when Jews and Gentiles could receive the forgiveness of sins and sanctification on the same basis, through faith in Christ (Acts 20:32; 26:17-18; cf. 15:9, ‘having cleansed their hearts by faith’).

Peter was confused, then Cornelius’ men showed up..

• He went with them to the Gentile’s house, and said this:

Acts 10:28 (NLT) 28 Peter told them, “You know it is against our laws for a Jewish man to enter a Gentile home like this or to associate with you. But God has shown me that I should no longer think of anyone as impure or unclean.”

• It wasn’t just about food! It was about people.
• God was revealing himself to Cornelius, and Peter was to share the gospel
• Note similarity with Samaritan revival
• Philip shared the gospel
• But God waited for Peter and John to give HS
• This same pattern is happening
• God could have just shared the gospel in a vision
• But he wanted Peter to share it
• Not for Cornelius’ sake
• But for Peter’s sake!

Acts 10:34-36 (NLT) 34 Then Peter replied, “I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism. 35 In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right. 36 This is the message of Good News for the people of Israel—that there is peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all…. 43 He is the one all the prophets testified about, saying that everyone who believes in him will have their sins forgiven through his name.”

• Not just Lord of Jews. (mind blown)
• Salvation now goes out to Gentiles. This isn’t just a Jewish thing.
• Salvation is not about being clean or unclean according to Law
• It’s about trusting Jesus to clean you by his final work on the cross
• He is the ultimate sacrifice
• No longer a need for the old system

And here’s where it connects to our question of the day…

This answer doesn’t just apply to Jews and Gentiles moving forward

• It applies to everyone looking backward!
• Q. Did God Change How Salvation Works?
• Answer: no!! Everyone who has ever been saved… has been saved by faith
• Jews in NT were saved by faith in the one who came (Jesus).
• Gentiles in NT were saved by that same faith in the one who came (Jesus).
• People in OT were saved by faith, too
• In the one who was to come, even though they didn’t know his name
• Object of faith was still Messiah
• Galatians 3:11 (NLT) 11 So it is clear that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”
• Quoting OT! Now they look back and see the truth: it was always faith
• salvation by faith, apart from the Law was an Old Testament principle
• Romans 4:1-3 (NLT) 1 Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What did he discover about being made right with God? 2 If his good deeds had made him acceptable to God, he would have had something to boast about. But that was not God’s way. 3 For the Scriptures tell us, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.”
• Believed in God’s promise (about his offspring)
• Even though it was humanly impossible (he was old and childless)
• God counted him as righteousness (even though he wasn’t)
• Because of his faith.
• Faith in God to come through on his promise
• His promise was all about Jesus!

Here’s the point:

• No one was ever saved by perfectly keeping the Law
• Not back then, not today
• The Law simply shows people how imperfect they are
• To set the stage for the One who could perfectly keep the Law
• = Jesus
• So all along this was God’s plan for salvation
• It was always about dependence upon God, trusting his pathway
• In the OT his pathway was a concept: Messiah
• In the NT his pathway had a name: Jesus
• Everyone who has ever been saved… has been saved by faith in Jesus.
• As Peter said to the Jewish leaders in Acts 4:

Acts 4:12 (NLT) 12 “There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.”

Today is a turning point in our study of Acts (We’ll cover ch 13)

• Reminds me of “Clue”:
• Col Mustard in the library with the candlestick, or
• Prof Plum in the kitchen with the revolver
• Here’s a summary of Acts:
• Ch 1-12: Peter in Jerusalem with the HS
• Ch 13-28: Paul in Gentile territories with the HS
• Remember: Acts of the Apostles = Acts of the HS
• Today we’ll see a spiritual discipline that opens us to be used by HS
• Fasting
• Have you ever done it?
• In the Bible, fasting is a discipline where believers intentionally set aside their most basic needs to realign their hearts with God’s will.
• Food, water (mainly what we’re talking about today)
• TV, entertainment
• Social media

Q. Five Reasons Christians Should Fast

• Based on an examination of Acts 13
• So open your Bibles with me…

Fasting is a timeless spiritual discipline.

• We see it all over the Bible: followers of God sometimes fast.
• Moses – He fasted for 40 days and nights on Mount Sinai when receiving the Ten Commandments (Exodus 34:28).
• David – He fasted when he was grieving for the illness of his child (2 Samuel 12:16).
• Elijah – He fasted for 40 days while fleeing from Jezebel (1 Kings 19:8).
• Esther – She called for a fast among the Jews before approaching King Xerxes (Esther 4:16).
• Daniel – He fasted and sought God for understanding and guidance (Daniel 9:3; Daniel 10:3).
• Anna – The prophetess who served in the temple, fasted regularly (Luke 2:37).
• Jesus – He fasted for 40 days in the wilderness before beginning his ministry (Matthew 4:1-2).
• And we also see it here in Acts 13…
• Acts 13:1-2 (NLT) 1 Among the prophets and teachers of the church at Antioch of Syria were Barnabas, Simeon (called “the black man”), Lucius (from Cyrene), Manaen (the childhood companion of King Herod Antipas), and Saul. 2 One day as these men were worshiping the Lord and fasting…
• “As these men were fasting…”
• No need for explanation
• It seemed normative for the early church
• Matthew 6:16 And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get.
• “When,” not “If”
• Q. Have you ever fasted?
• Reason #1: Fasting is a timeless spiritual discipline.
• See also: Breakthrough Disciplines (Series)

But Christians should not fast pointlessly, just because it’s “what we do.” It’s about more than that…

Fasting helps us to hear the Holy Spirit.

• To be clear: I’ve never audibly “heard” the HS
• Watch out for people who say that
• It can happen, but it should always align w Bible
• Lots of false prophets
• 1 John 4:1 Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world.
• This isn’t usually what we mean when we talk about “hearing the HS”
• We’re talking about
• an internal conviction
• a leading
• It always aligns with the Word
• Acts 13:2 (NLT) 2 One day as these men were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said…
• There it is: worship+fasting=hearing
• Q. Are you having a hard time hearing God?
• Try fasting
• Let’s finish the verse to see what exactly they heard from the HS…
• Acts 13:2 (NLT) 2 One day as these men were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Appoint Barnabas and Saul for the special work to which I have called them.”

This points to the third reason to fast from this text:

Fasting prepares us for seasons of ministry.

• In v2 it was called their “special work”
• Acts 13:3 (NLT) 3 So after more fasting and prayer, the men laid their hands on them and sent them on their way.4 So Barnabas and Saul were sent out by the Holy Spirit.
• Keep that in mind as we continue through the book of Acts
• It’s going to follow Paul’s missionary journeys
• But it all started right here: with fasting and prayer
• Notice: the whole church was involved in this “missions program”
• We’ll talk about this more next week
• Acts 14:27 Paul and Barnabas report back to the whole church
• So clearly the whole church sent out the missionaries
• But ultimately the HS sent them out! (Acts 1:8)
• Again, not physically
• God the Father sent the son
• God the HS sends us
• So: Fasting prepares us for seasons of ministry
• Paul and Barnabas learned this from Jesus
• He fasted in the wilderness for 40 days
• Then started his public ministry
• But you say: “I’m not in ministry”
• Wrong! We all are called to get in the game

That’s why we need this next thing…

Fasting equips us for spiritual warfare.

• Because this is what happens when you get in the game w Jesus
• We see that in Paul’s first missionary journey
• Let’s read some of it:
• Acts 13:6-8 (NLT) 6 Afterward they traveled from town to town across the entire island until finally they reached Paphos, where they met a Jewish sorcerer, a false prophet named Bar-Jesus. 7 He had attached himself to the governor, Sergius Paulus, who was an intelligent man. The governor invited Barnabas and Saul to visit him, for he wanted to hear the word of God. 8 But Elymas, the sorcerer (as his name means in Greek), interfered and urged the governor to pay no attention to what Barnabas and Saul said. He was trying to keep the governor from believing.
• Acts 13:9-11 (NLT) 9 Saul, also known as Paul, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he looked the sorcerer in the eye. 10 Then he said, “You son of the devil, full of every sort of deceit and fraud, and enemy of all that is good! Will you never stop perverting the true ways of the Lord? 11 Watch now, for the Lord has laid his hand of punishment upon you, and you will be struck blind. You will not see the sunlight for some time.” Instantly mist and darkness came over the man’s eyes, and he began groping around begging for someone to take his hand and lead him.
• Acts 13:12 (NLT) 12 When the governor saw what had happened, he became a believer, for he was astonished at the teaching about the Lord.
• Saw the miracle, but was astonished at the teaching
• Jesus: this kind comes out only by prayer and fasting
• See also: Spiritual Warfare (Series)

One last reason I see in the chapter…

Fasting trains us to rely on God.

• Good summary of what fasting is about in the end
• Fasting, at its core, is not about punishment or self-denial for its own sake. It’s about creating space—physically, mentally, and spiritually—so we can draw closer to God.
• …so we can become more aware of our need for him.
• Acts 13:43 (NLT) 43 Many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, and the two men urged them to continue to rely on the grace of God.