The Book of Acts

A section-by-section deep dive into the book of Acts, exploring the birth of the Christian church.

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CHAPTER 1

Intro to the Book of Acts (1:1-5)

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Text for today:

Acts 1:1-5 (NLT) 1 In my first book I told you, Theophilus, about everything Jesus began to do and teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven after giving his chosen apostles further instructions through the Holy Spirit. 3 During the forty days after he suffered and died, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God. 4 Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. 5 John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

Today we start a new series on the Book of Acts. We’ll cover the first five verses and answer the question: How should we act on the message of Jesus?

A lot of people view Christianity as merely an ideology or a set of beliefs.
- I just need intellectual assent to the right ideas, believe the right things
- I go to church, read the Bible (occasionally) to learn these ideas
- This is how a recent article struck me: Why I am now a Christian
  - Ayaan Hirsi Ali
  - Grew up Muslim in Kenya
    - “The most striking quality of the Muslim Brotherhood was their ability to transform me and my fellow teenagers from passive believers into activists, almost overnight. We didn’t just say things or pray for things: we did things. As girls we donned the burka and swore off Western fashion and make-up. The boys cultivated their facial hair to the greatest extent possible.”
  - Then became an atheist
    - “You can see why, to someone who had been through such a religious schooling, atheism seemed so appealing. Bertrand Russell offered a simple, zero-cost escape from an unbearable life of self-denial and harassment of other people.”
  - Eventually became a Christian. But why?
    - Because only Christianity has “an elaborate set of ideas and institutions designed to safeguard human life, freedom and dignity….”
  - This is true, but is this all there is?
    - For many “Christians,” yes
      - It’s a better ideology than atheism, Islam
      - But it’s more than ideology – it should cause us to act.

Trans: That’s what we’re going to learn today as we turn to the book of Acts

Acts 1:1-2

Acts 1:1-2 (NLT) 1 In my first book I told you, Theophilus, about everything Jesus began to do and teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven after giving his chosen apostles further instructions through the Holy Spirit.

In my first book
- Acts is Part 2 of the Luke-Acts volume
  - (Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Abridged Edition (2 Volumes)) Luke-Acts being originally one work in two volumes, which sometime during the last part of the first century or very early in the second began to circulate as two separate works
  - (Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Abridged Edition (2 Volumes)) The Acts of the Apostles was originally written as the second part of a two-volume work, and its inseparable relation to Luke’s gospel must be kept in mind if we are to understand the work.
- Luke 1:1-4 (NLT) 1 Many people have set out to write accounts about the events that have been fulfilled among us. 2 They used the eyewitness reports circulating among us from the early disciples. 3 Having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I also have decided to write an accurate account for you, most honorable Theophilus, 4 so you can be certain of the truth of everything you were taught.
- So the author was obviously Luke (the doctor)
  - Colossians 4:14 Luke, the beloved doctor, sends his greetings…
  - Philemon 1:23-24 (NLT) 23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings. 24 So do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my co-workers.
  - (Pillar New Testament Commentary) Acts begins with a long, programmatic sentence in Greek (vv. 1-5), which looks back in summary fashion to the concluding scenes of Luke’s Gospel and prepares for the great events soon to be narrated.
- Writing to Theophilus
  - Spiritual seeker trying to learn the truth about Jesus
  - With disciples, we find the answers by the end of the gospel:
  - Luke 24:44-45 (NLT) 44 Then he said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.
    - It’s one thing to hear the message. It’s another thing to understand.
      - Contrast with disciples on road to Emmaus
      - Luke 24:27 (NLT) 27 Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
    - That’s what we’re going to learn throughout this study.
  - 46 And he said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. 47 It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’
    - The message about Jesus is one thing (v46)
    - Sharing the message is another thing (v47)
      - That’s the subject of the Book of Acts
  - 50 Then Jesus led them to Bethany, and lifting his hands to heaven, he blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up to heaven. 52 So they worshiped him and then returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy. 53 And they spent all of their time in the Temple, praising God.
  - Luke leaves us with a cliffhanger
    - As we’ll see, this passage overlaps with the beginning of Acts
      - See it for yourself side-by-side
      - Luke 24:44-53 and Acts 1:3-5

Acts 1:3

Now we’re ready to turn back to Acts. Notice the overlap with the end of Luke:

Acts 1:3 (NLT) 3 During the forty days after he suffered and died, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God.

During the 40 days:
- Luke is retelling the story from Luke 24
  - See above
- How cool to have been there for Jesus’ 40-day workshop!?
Appeared from time to time
- Jesus’ involvement (intermittent) vs. Holy Spirit’s involvement later (continuous)
- Jesus’ role = die and rise; HS role = convict, move us
Talked about the Kingdom of God
- What Jesus was doing throughout the gospel of Luke
- Now it was time for them to connect the dots
  - Understand, not just hear
- This is what they would be doing in the Book of Acts
  - (Pillar New Testament Commentary) Jesus’ teaching of the apostles qualified them in a unique sense to be the authoritative interpreters of Scripture for the earliest Christian communities and for subsequent generations of believers
  - Speeches in Acts = about ⅓ of the text! (Pillar New Testament Commentary) Evangelistic speeches convey the contents of the message presented by different characters in different situations. In this gospel-centred framework, Luke regularly uses the Greek noun logos (‘word’) to describe the actual message proclaimed by Jesus and his followers.
  - Understanding the “kerygma” – the core message of the Christian gospel, the essential elements preached by the apostles: Jesus + faith + Spirit + return
Luke-Acts boils down to two things:
- Seeking Jesus (this is what Luke is about)
  - Learning about his life, death and resurrection.
  - Responding in faith to it
  - Gaining entrance into his kingdom
- Sharing Jesus – full circle (this is what Acts is about)
  - Being a servant in his kingdom
    - It’s not about him serving YOU
    - He gives the orders, you follow them
  - It’s our turn to get in the game and share the story
  - That’s the mission of the church
    - And Acts is the story of the church’s beginnings

Two more verses for today:

Acts 1:4-5

Acts 1:4-5 (NLT) 4 Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. 5 John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

The gift he promised
- Talking about the HS (God himself!)
- Not just Acts of the Apostles. God is behind it all! Acts of the HS
  - (Pillar New Testament Commentary) Luke’s special interest in the Holy Spirit is indicated by the 57 occurrences of the noun pneuma (‘Spirit’) in Acts alone.
  - John 16:7-8 (NLT) But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment.
- Baptized w the HS
  - Totally immersed
In just a few days
- Does this sound like the end of something or the beginning?
  - The beginning for sure!
    - Yes, Jesus died… but that means the start of something, not the end
  - Cliffhanger, just like at end of Luke

Close

This brings us back to the question we started with: How should we act on the message of Jesus?

Christianity is more than a solid ideology
- Yes, it’s a better ideology than atheism, Islam
- But it’s not just something to learn about or read about
  - Not just a message about who Jesus is and what he did
- We need more than intellectual assent to these beliefs
  - More than church attendance or reading the Bible
It should cause us to act.
- That’s why Luke didn’t stop at Luke
- He went on to write Acts
  - The story of Christ-followers who didn’t just learn… they acted
    - by spreading the message of the Kingdom of God

Talking Points:

Today we start a new series on the Book of Acts. We’ll cover the first five verses and answer the question: How should we act on the message of Jesus? A lot of people view Christianity as merely an ideology or a set of beliefs, but it’s more than that.
Acts is part two of the Luke-Acts volume, which was originally circulated as one book. It was written by Luke, a doctor and ministry companion of Paul. Acts 1:1-2
The gospel of Luke was about seeking Jesus and learning the truth about his life, death, and resurrection. In Luke’s sequel (Acts) the focus changes to sharing Jesus, specifically the message of his kingdom. Acts 1:3
Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit to empower the disciples for their earthly mission. They were learning that the death and resurrection of Jesus was the start of something, not the end. Acts 1:4-5
Acts is the story of Christ-followers who didn’t just learn, they acted – by spreading the message of the Kingdom of God.

Discussion:

Read the talking points above as a group, including scripture references. What are your initial thoughts about these points or about the podcast lesson (see audio above)?
Have you ever read the Book of Acts? If so, what stories do you remember? Make a list.
“A lot of people view Christianity as merely an ideology or a set of beliefs.” How have you seen this play out in today’s church? Give examples.
Read Luke 24:44-45. What’s the difference between hearing a message and understanding it? Give an example of this in your own life.
Read Acts 1:3. What kinds of things do you imagine Jesus taught his disciples in those 40 days? Make a list.
Who shared the message of Jesus with you? How did they do it? How did you respond? Have you passed it on to someone else?

The Promised Spirit (Acts 1:6-11)

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Today we continue our study of Acts, covering Acts 1:6-11. Here’s the question we’ll answer as we look at the text: Does God favor one nation over another?

This is an important question in today’s world
- Issue of immigration
- Christian nations vs. Muslim nations, etc.
It was a question on the minds of the disciples in Acts 1
- Jesus had just spent 3 yrs with them
  - Almost exclusively did ministry among Israelites
    - Matthew 15:21-24 (NLT) 21 Then Jesus left Galilee and went north to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 A Gentile woman who lived there came to him, pleading, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! For my daughter is possessed by a demon that torments her severely.” 23 But Jesus gave her no reply, not even a word. Then his disciples urged him to send her away. “Tell her to go away,” they said. “She is bothering us with all her begging.” 24 Then Jesus said to the woman, “I was sent only to help God’s lost sheep—the people of Israel.”
      - Note three things:
        
        Jesus was silent!?
        
        Disciples wanted him to send her away
        
        Jesus was sent to help only Israel
      - Jesus ends up healing the daughter
        
        But it was the exception, not the rule
        
        Seems nationalistic, right?!
  - The point: disciples thought God favored Israel
    - Very nationalistic in their ideology
      - The “Chosen ones”
      - Deuteronomy 7:6 (NLT) For you are a holy people, who belong to the LORD your God. Of all the people on earth, the LORD your God has chosen you to be his own special treasure.
    - Seems like American Christians today
      - We are the new chosen ones
        
        We have the only true God
        
        We have a better ideology
        
        We are God’s favorites
    - But what does the Bible say about this?

Let’s warm up with a history lesson on Israel:

Theocracy
First King – Saul
United Monarchy (c. 1000–930 BCE)
- King David (c. 1010–970 BCE) : David united the tribes of Israel and established Jerusalem as the capital.
- King Solomon (c. 970–930 BCE) : Solomon, David’s son, built the First Temple in Jerusalem. After his death, the kingdom split into two.
Divided Monarchy (c. 930–722 BCE for Israel, c. 930–586 BCE for Judah)
- Kingdom of Israel (Northern Kingdom) : Fell to the Assyrian Empire in 722 BCE.
- Kingdom of Judah (Southern Kingdom) : Continued until it fell to the Babylonian Empire in 586 BCE.
Assyrian Rule (c. 722–605 BCE)- The Assyrians conquered the northern kingdom of Israel in 722 BCE, leading to the exile of many Israelites.
Babylonian Rule (c. 605–539 BCE)- The Babylonians, led by Nebuchadnezzar II, destroyed Jerusalem and the First Temple in 586 BCE, initiating the Babylonian Captivity.
Persian Rule (c. 539–332 BCE)- Cyrus the Great of Persia conquered Babylon in 539 BCE and allowed the Jewish exiles to return and rebuild the Temple (Second Temple period).
Greek Rule (c. 332–167 BCE)- Alexander the Great conquered the Persian Empire, including Israel, in 332 BCE. After his death, the region was controlled by the Ptolemies and then the Seleucids.
Maccabean/Hasmonean Period (167–63 BCE) : The Maccabees revolted against Seleucid rule (part of the fragmentation of Alexander’s empire), leading to the establishment of an independent Jewish kingdom (the Hasmonean dynasty) in 142 BCE.
- The period saw the expansion of Jewish territory, increased influence of Jewish culture, and the emergence of significant religious sects such as the Pharisees and Sadducees. The legacy of the Hasmoneans is still remembered, particularly through the celebration of Hanukkah.
Roman Rule (63 BCE–330 CE)- The Roman general Pompey captured Jerusalem in 63 BCE.
- Herodian Dynasty (37 BCE–4 BCE) : Herod the Great ruled as a Roman client king.
- Jesus’ life, death, resurrection
- In 70 CE, the Romans destroyed the Second Temple following a Jewish revolt.
- Bar Kokhba Revolt (132–135 CE) : A significant but ultimately unsuccessful Jewish rebellion against Roman rule.
Byzantine Rule (330–636 CE)- The Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire) controlled the region until the early Islamic conquests.
Islamic Caliphates (636–1099 CE)
- Rashidun Caliphate (636–661 CE)
- Umayyad Caliphate (661–750 CE)
- Abbasid Caliphate (750–969 CE)
- Fatimid Caliphate (969–1099 CE)
Crusader Period (1099–1291 CE)- Crusaders established the Kingdom of Jerusalem, controlling the area intermittently until 1291 CE.
Mamluk Sultanate (1291–1517 CE)- The Mamluks, based in Egypt, controlled the region following the Crusaders.
Ottoman Empire (1517–1917 CE)- The Ottomans conquered the Mamluks in 1517 and ruled the region until World War I.
British Mandate (1917–1948 CE)- After World War I, the League of Nations granted Britain the mandate to govern Palestine.
State of Israel (1948–Present)- Israel declared independence on May 14, 1948, and has since been a sovereign nation. The region has seen various conflicts and peace processes involving neighboring countries and entities.

Trans: And now, finally, we’re ready for the text.

Acts 1:6

Acts 1:6 (NLT) 6 So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?”

has the time come… free Israel and restore our kingdom
- There was a payoff that Israelites historically had in their minds, Israel-centric
- Can’t blame them; It was even articulated by an angel to Mary:
  - Luke 1:31-33 (NLT) 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”
- And understood by the prophet Anna:
  - Luke 2:38 (NLT) She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem.
- Disciples were thinking of all of this in nationalistic and political terms
  - (Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Abridged Edition (2 Volumes)) The question the disciples asked reflects the embers of a once blazing hope for a political theocracy in which they would be leaders (cf. Mk 9:33-34; 10:35-41; Lk 22:24). Now the embers are fanned by Jesus’ talk of the coming Holy Spirit. In Jewish expectations, the restoration of Israel’s fortunes would be marked by the revived activity of God’s Spirit, which had been withheld since the last of the prophets.
  - Longing for the return of the glory days of King David and Solomon

Trans: but Jesus is going to show them that it’s not about them….

(Pillar New Testament Commentary) Through the witness of Jesus’ apostles, ‘the kingdom’ would be restored to Israel, but not in nationalistic or political terms, nor immediately in the full and final sense outlined in biblical prophecy (cf. 3:19-26).

Acts 1:7-8

Acts 1:7-8 (NLT) 7 He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. 8 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.”

not for you to know
- The disciples weren’t wrong about the big idea (God’s kingdom would come), they were wrong in many of the details
  - Next week: there are some things that are not for us to know, at least not yet. Can you handle that?
    - End times – so many people want to know! YT is blowing up with videos
      - (Pillar New Testament Commentary) Christians have to live with the tension of knowing that the work of the gospel is central to God’s eschatological plan, but never being able to calculate the exact date of the End.
    - Sickness – why won’t you heal this person?
    - Marriage – why haven’t you brought me “the one”
      - Ex: my friend who was obsessed with that, until he realized he needed to “get his house in order” and leave the rest to God
      - Ex: my daughter who saw her friends dating (and failing) has learned to trust God with those details
      - Ex: Adam was put to sleep and woke up to Eve!
  - Sometimes we’re like the kids in the backseat, pestering God with our questions. Sometimes it’s simply not for us to know. We need to trust his plan and his timing.
But you will receive power
- Gk “dunamis”, our word for dynamite!
- Watch for this in the chapters ahead: power!
  - Power to do miracles, for sure
  - But even more importantly, power to speak out…
  - The promised Holy Spirit would give them power to speak out, not to destroy.
you will be my witnesses
- First, the apostles were eyewitnesses
  - (Pillar New Testament Commentary) As ‘eyewitnesses’ (Lk. 1:2; cf. Acts 1:3a), they guarantee the historicity of the major events in Jesus’ life, and as those uniquely instructed by him (Lk. 24:44-8; Acts 1:3b-5), they pass on Jesus’ own understanding of his person and work.
  - This is important, and it’s why we don’t need prophets/apostles in that sense today
    - See Does God Still Speak Through Prophets
- Second, this is a calling on every Christian
  - And one of the main roles of the HS in our lives
  - Being “baptized” = all in for Jesus
    - I grew up in a charismatic church
      - Taught that “baptism with the HS” was all about speaking in tongues
        
        We’ll see why later in this series
    - But many pentecostals miss the main thing:
      - The Spirit empowers us to be witnesses for the Kingdom of God
- It happened at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry
  - Luke 4:14-15 (NLT) 14 Then Jesus returned to Galilee, filled with the Holy Spirit’s power. Reports about him spread quickly through the whole region. 15 He taught regularly in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.
  - The disciples already saw Jesus “tell people about him” by the power of the Spirit
    - Now it was their turn
  - Jesus promised them power through the Holy Spirit – but the purpose was to speak out, not to conquer. They would be witnesses, not warriors.
in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth
- This is the outline of the book of Acts
  - They’re starting in Jerusalem (Acts 1-7)
  - Then they’ll move to Judea and Samaria (Ch 8-12)
  - Then to the ends of the earth
    - Paul’s Journeys (Ch 13-21)
    - Paul’s Trials on his way to Rome (Ch 22-28)
    - The book will end on a cliffhanger:
      - Acts 28:30-31 (NLT) 30 For the next two years, Paul lived in Rome at his own expense. He welcomed all who visited him, 31 boldly proclaiming the Kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ. And no one tried to stop him.
- Notice the reverse symmetry with the gospel of Luke
  - Jesus started in Galilee of the Gentiles
  - Moved his way through Samaria and Judea
  - Ended up in Jerusalem for his trial and death
- As we saw last week:
  - The gospel of Luke was about seeking Jesus and learning the truth about his life, death, and resurrection.
  - In Luke’s sequel (Acts) the focus changes to sharing Jesus, specifically the message of his kingdom.

But here’s the point, and the answer to our question: Does God favor one nation over another?

Answer: NO!
The shocker will be (spoiler alert):
- The Kingdom of God was not just about Israel; it’s an invitation that must go out “to the ends of the earth”
- Not the disciples’ nationalist and political agenda!
- Isaiah 43:8-9 (NLT) 8 Bring out the people who have eyes but are blind, who have ears but are deaf. 9 Gather the nations together! Assemble the peoples of the world!
- Isaiah 43:10 (NLT) “But you are my witnesses, O Israel!” says the LORD. “You are my servant. You have been chosen to know me, believe in me, and understand that I alone am God. There is no other God—there never has been, and there never will be.
- Isaiah 49:6 (NLT) He says, “You will do more than restore the people of Israel to me. I will make you a light to the Gentiles, and you will bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”
- God did not choose Israel for Israel’s sake
  - He chose them to be a light to the nations
  - Jesus didn’t want to conquer the nations, he wanted to bless them.
One more thing: notice “you will be”
- Not, “you must be” like a command
- It’s more of a statement of inevitability; a prediction; a promise
  - God’s Word will go out, his Kingdom will be established
  - The only question: will you be a part of this movement?

Acts 1:9-11

Acts 1:9-11 (NLT) 9 After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him. 10 As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!”

he was taken up
- The Luke account of this was a cliffhanger; in Acts it’s a turning point
  - Jesus had to leave so they could take the baton
  - Now it was their turn to bring the message to the world
- Transition to the ministry of the Spirit
  - Jesus wouldn’t visit them “from time to time” to teach them
  - Now that would be the HS’s job, a continuous presence
“Men of Galilee,”
- Interesting that they called them that
  - A reminder of where Jesus first invited them to follow him: on the shores of the Sea of Galilee (of the Gentiles!?)
    - Luke 5:10 (NLT) “From now on you’ll be fishing for people!”
    - Q. But what KIND of people?
  - History of Galilee
    - The Assyrians deported many of the native Israelites and brought in people from other parts of their empire, which increased the Gentile presence in Galilee. (2 Kings 15:29, 17:24-27)
    - Following Alexander the Great’s conquests, Hellenistic culture spread throughout the Near East, including Galilee. This influence further contributed to the region’s mixed population.
    - By Jesus’ day it was a crossroads of trade and culture, which allowed the message of Jesus to spread more easily to both Jews and Gentiles.
  - The point: Galilee was NOT just about Israel
    - Isaiah 9:1 Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever…. but there will be a time in the future when Galilee of the Gentiles, which lies along the road that runs between the Jordan and the sea, will be filled with glory.
why are you standing here staring into heaven?
- Hilarious!
- Reminds me of so many modern Christians
  - Love to worship God, go to conferences, study eschatology
  - Never go beyond “staring into heaven”
someday he will return
- Bookends: Christ’s ascension and his return
  - (Pillar New Testament Commentary) In effect, the introduction lays down ‘the eschatological framework within which the Christian story is to unfold’. The church lives between Jesus’ exaltation into heaven and his return and its life is determined by these boundary markers.
  - In between: we need to get to work
    - He’s on the throne in heaven, resurrected, alive
    - He’s still overseeing the whole project
    - And he’s coming back when time is up

Close

But this picture gives us our answer to the question we started with: Does God favor one nation over another?

Answer: No
- The Kingdom of God is not about national boundaries
  - Not about earthly kingdoms that come and go
- The Kingdom of God is already established in heaven. It’s permanent, and Jesus is on the throne. No nation is favored; every nation is invited.

Revelation 7:9-10 (NLT) 9 After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. 10 And they were shouting with a great roar, “Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!”

Talking Points:

Today we continue our study of Acts, covering Acts 1:6-11. Here’s the question we’ll answer as we look at the text: Does God favor one nation over another?
The disciples were thinking of the Kingdom of God in nationalistic and political terms, much like American Christians do today. They were longing for the return of the glory days of King David and Solomon. Acts 1:6
Jesus promised them power through the Holy Spirit – but the purpose was to speak out, not to conquer. They would be messengers, not warriors. Acts 1:7-8
Jesus ascended into heaven, but someday he’ll come back. The time in between is for the church to get to work, sharing the Good News with the world. Acts 1:9-11
The Kingdom of God is already established in heaven. It’s permanent, and Jesus is on the throne. No nation is favored; every nation is invited. Revelation 7:9-10

Discussion:

Read the talking points above as a group, including scripture references. What are your initial thoughts about these points or about the podcast lesson (see audio above)?
The podcast gives an overview of Israel’s history as a nation. How would you summarize that history? Why was there so much drama?
Why did Israel see themselves as God’s favored nation? How did Jesus’ ministry contribute to that feeling?
Give an example of when national pride is a good thing. Give an example of when it goes too far.
Read Acts 1:8. What is the purpose of the Holy Spirit’s power? Why would this have been surprising to the disciples?
Why is it significant that the angels called the disciples “men of Galilee”? What did the region of Galilee signify?
Based on today’s lesson, how would you answer this question: Does God favor one nation over another?

Waiting on God (Acts 1:12-26)

What’s the Best Way to Wait on God? (Acts 1:12-26)

Posted: June 6, 2024

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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…

Talking Points:

Today we continue our study of Acts, covering Acts 1:12-26. Here’s the question we’ll answer as we look at the text: what should you do while you wait on God?
Jesus told the disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit, but when he ascended they realized they had no clue what to do while they waited! Many of us feel the same way through different seasons in life.
The disciples had great expectation but little understanding, and this is where we are when we wait on God. Their answer to this was simple obedience to Jesus’ command, starting with returning to Jerusalem. Acts 1:12-13
In their waiting, the disciples modeled three practical steps of obedience: connection, prayer, and scripture study. These spiritual disciplines are available to every Christian today. Acts 1:13-17
Too many believers try to go through life alone, without prayer, and without God’s Word. To wait on God is to actively engage in timeless disciplines, trusting God to act in his timing.

Discussion:

Read the talking points above as a group, including scripture references. What are your initial thoughts about these points or about the podcast lesson (see audio above)?
Have you ever had to wait on God for something big in your life? Give an example.
Obedience can be difficult at times. Out of the three spiritual disciplines mentioned today, which one is your strongest? Weakest?
Share a time when your community encouraged you in your time of waiting on God.
In the Pillar Commentary, we read: “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.” What are some prayers you have found yourself hesitant to take to the Lord? Why?
What are some practical steps you can take to grow in your Bible reading habits?
“To wait on God is to actively engage in timeless disciplines, trusting God to act in his timing.” How is this different from the way you used to view waiting on God?

CHAPTER 2

Pentecost (Acts 2:1-13)

What Is Baptism with the Holy Spirit? (Acts 2:1-13)

Posted: June 11, 2024

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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?

Talking Points:

Today we’re studying Acts 2:1-13, the passage that essentially describes the birth of the Christian church. It begins to answer an important question: What is the purpose of baptism with the Holy Spirit? Acts 1:5
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, Ezekiel 37:9-14
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, John 14:16-17
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
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. Acts 1:8

Discussion:

Read the talking points above as a group, including scripture references. What are your initial thoughts about these points or about the podcast lesson (see audio above)?
When you hear “baptism with the Holy Spirit”, is it something you’re used to hearing about, or does it freak you out a little bit?
Read Acts 1:5. How would you explain the difference between baptism with water and baptism with the Holy Spirit? Why have both?
Have you ever witnessed someone speaking in tongues? What were your thoughts?
Read John 14:16-17. Notice the passage refers to the Holy Spirit as “him”. What does that say about the nature of the Holy Spirit? Why is this significant?
“The disciples were influenced by the Holy Spirit while they walked with Jesus, but now they will be indwelt by the Holy Spirit”. Explain this quote from the podcast. Talk about what it means to be ‘influenced’ vs ‘indwelt’.
After listening to the podcast, and discussing with your group or mentor, how would you now answer today’s question: What is the purpose of baptism with the Holy Spirit?

BONUS: Is Speaking in Tongues Biblical?

Is Speaking in Tongues Biblical?

Posted: June 15, 2024

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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:

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.

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.

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.

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.

Talking Points:

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 lesson we’ll see what the Bible has to say.
Baptism with the Holy Spirit – a phrase coined by Jesus (Acts 1:5) – first happened for Jewish believers on the day of Pentecost. Today, pentecostal believers point to this to affirm their practice of speaking in tongues. Acts 2:1-4
Samaritans first received this gift in Acts 8 and Gentiles received it in Acts 10. This demonstrates that speaking in tongues is not limited to a specific group or ethnicity.
Paul encounters some “believers” in Ephesus who had not yet received the Holy Spirit. After Paul laid hands on them, they received the Holy Spirit and began speaking in tongues and prophesying. Acts 19:1-7
In 1 Corinthians 14 Paul seems to draw a distinction between the corporate gift of tongues and the personal exercise of the gift. Apparently the church in Corinth had gotten carried away and missed the whole point.
Pentecostals should be careful not to misuse the gift of tongues in a corporate setting. Cessationists should be careful not to forbid speaking in tongues. 1 Corinthians 14:39-40

Discussion:

Read the talking points above as a group, including scripture references. What are your initial thoughts about these points or about the podcast lesson (see audio above)?
Have you ever heard someone speak in tongues? How did you react to it?
Where do you lean personally on the spectrum: toward Pentecostals or toward cessationists? Explain.
In your own words, describe the purpose of the gift of tongues in the book of Acts. How does it connect to Acts 1:8?
Read Romans 8:26. Have you ever experienced the Holy Spirit like this in prayer or praise? Pentecostals often relate this to speaking in tongues – do you think this is accurate? Explain.
Read 1 Corinthians 14:39-40. What’s the warning for Pentecostals here? What’s the warning for cessationists?

The Spirit’s Role (Acts 2:14-21)

What’s the Role of the Spirit in our Lives Today? (Acts 2:14-21)

Posted: June 21, 2024

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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.

Talking Points:

Today we’ll look at part one of Peter’s first-ever sermon in the church age. It begins to answer the question: What is the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives today?
In the Old Testament the Holy Spirit was given to select individuals for specific tasks. In Moses’ day God shared his Spirit with 70 elders of Israel to help Moses with the burden of ministry. Numbers 11:16-17
Moses longed for the day when everyone could receive the Holy Spirit. Joel prophesied that this day would someday come. Numbers 11:29, Joel 2:28-29
Peter’s sermon declares that this day had finally come! The Holy Spirit was poured out on every believer, changing forever the way God relates to his people. Acts 2:14-21, Ezekiel 36:26-27
The Holy Spirit’s ministry is threefold: he convicts non-believers, guides believers, and glorifies Jesus. John 16:8, 13-14

Discussion:

Read the talking points above as a group, including scripture references. What are your initial thoughts about these points or about the podcast lesson (see audio above)?
How would you have answered today’s question before listening to the podcast? What about after?
Put yourself in the shoes of the onlookers, the eye-witnesses. After physically seeing the baptism of the Holy Spirit, how do you think you would have reacted to Peter’s sermon?
In Acts 2:17, why do you think God describes the referenced time as “the last days”?
How did the individual tongues of fire represent the Holy Spirit’s new role in our relationship with God? How does this compare to the Old Testament examples?
Read Ezekiel 36:26-27. Explain this idea of a “new heart”. How have you experienced it in your own life?
Read John 16:8. What does it mean to be “convicted” by the Holy Spirit? In what ways have you been convicted in the past?

The Real Gospel (Acts 2:22-36)

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Today we’ll answer a basic, yet important question: Q. What is the real gospel?

What is the “Good News” that the church should offer to the world?
Churches have corrupted it since the beginning!
- Galatians 1:6-7 (NLT) I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ. You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News 7 but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ.
- These were the Judaizers in Paul’s day, already corrupting the simple message of Jesus.
  - Said you had to become a Jew first, and then a Christian
  - Works gospel = God wants you to save yourself
Today there are too many false gospels to count, but I’ll mention a few:
- Prosperity gospel = God wants you to be healthy and wealthy
- Woke gospel = God wants you to be YOU
- Red/Blue gospel = God wants you to be a Republican/Democrat
The true gospel has been hijacked by televangelists, secular humanists, and political parties, but to rediscover it we simply need to re-read the first sermon ever preached in the church age.
- That’s what we’ll do today.

Let’s turn to Acts 2.

Last week we saw part one of Peter’s sermon

The day Moses longed for and Joel predicted had finally come!
Now the HS was available to everyone
That’s what they were seeing in real time – historic!

Today we’re looking at the second part of the sermon

This is the first time we see the bare essentials of the Christian message
- Peter didn’t sit down days earlier and write this out, but…
  - His mind was opened to understanding the Scriptures (Luke 24:45)
  - He had been trained by Jesus for 40 days on the “Kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3)
  - He had just been “baptized with the Holy Spirit” and empowered! (Acts 1:8)
- These three things combined to produce the first sermon ever preached
  - And the basic elements of Peter’s message will be repeated throughout Acts
    - See 3:13-26; 4:10-12; 5:30-2; 10:36-43; 13:23-41
  - And these bare essentials have never changed.

The gospel is all about Jesus.

Acts 2:22-24 (NLT) 22 People of Israel, listen! God publicly endorsed Jesus the Nazarene by doing powerful miracles, wonders, and signs through him, as you well know.

First part of Peter’s sermon was about HS (last week)
But the meat of the sermon was about Jesus; already the false gospels get it wrong
- Works gospel: Jesus + works
  - LDS: “We are saved by grace after all we can do.”
  - Galatians 3:2 (NLT) 2 Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ.
- Prosperity gospel: Jesus + stuff (what’s in it for me)
  - Benny Hinn: “God will begin to prosper you, for money always follows righteousness.”
  - In other words, to become a Christian, in this way of seeing things, is to have all the same desires you had as an unregenerate person—only you get them from a new source, Jesus. And He feels so loving when you do. (Piper, John. Brothers, We Are Not Professionals (p. 25). B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.)
  - Philippians 3:9-11 (NLT) For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. 10 I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, 11 so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!
- Woke gospel: Jesus + affirmation
  - Matthew Vines: “God created you and loves you just as you are. Your sexual orientation is not a sin, and you are not broken. God’s love for you is not contingent on you becoming someone else, but on you embracing who you truly are.”
  - This is a corrupted view of Jesus: Jesus loves you just as you are
    - That sounds nice, but to come to him requires repentance
      - The opposite of sin: trusting and acting on your own opinions and feelings instead of on God’s truth
      - we’ll see this next week when we look at the response to the gospel
      - Acts 2:38 (NLT) 38 Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God…”
For now let’s summarize Peter’s, gospel = Jesus + nothing
- You’re not going to see any of these things endorsed in Peter’s sermon
  - Saved by works
  - Motivated by prosperity
  - Affirming of sinful lifestyles
- Just this: “God publicly endorsed Jesus”
  - No other endorsement needed!

But let’s zoom in a little more:

The gospel requires the cross.

Acts 2:23 (NLT) But God knew what would happen, and his prearranged plan was carried out when Jesus was betrayed. With the help of lawless Gentiles, you nailed him to a cross and killed him.

Jesus had to suffer and die.
- Some churches try to minimize this
- Temptation to whitewash the gruesome details
- But it was required to absorb the wrath of God
Who was behind the crucifixion? Peter gives 3 answers:
- Lawless Gentiles
- Religious Jews
  - “Christ is King” controversy with Candace Owens
    - I don’t know how Owens meant it, but…
    - It’s not anti-semitic to make that claim
  - The truth: Jews and Gentiles put Jesus on the cross
    - That includes you and me. Our sin put him there.
    - But look back at the text for the biggest insight…
- God himself (this was God’s plan all along)
  - 1 Peter 1: (NLT) 20 God chose him as your ransom long before the world began…

The gospel is proven by the resurrection.

Acts 2:24 (NLT) But God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life, for death could not keep him in its grip.

Without the resurrection, there is no gospel (good news)
- 1 Corinthians 15:14 (NLT) And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless.
- Jesus was raised to life first; His followers will be next
In the next verses, Peter proves the resurrection in two ways
- It was prophesied in the OT (v25-31)
  - Acts 2:31 (NLT) 31 David was looking into the future and speaking of the Messiah’s resurrection. He was saying that God would not leave him among the dead or allow his body to rot in the grave.
- The apostles saw it for themselves
  - Acts 2 (NLT) 32 “God raised Jesus from the dead, and we are all witnesses of this.”
The resurrection proves the supernatural plan of God
- It defies logic and the laws of nature
- If you can’t believe this ultimate miracle, you can’t be saved
- 1 Corinthians 1:18 (NLT) 18 The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God.

The gospel declares Jesus is Lord

Acts 2 (NLT) 33 Now he is exalted to the place of highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand. And the Father, as he had promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today.

His Kingdom is already established, and Jesus is already on the throne!
It’s not an earthly kingdom like you thought it would be; it’s better than that!
- Oh yeah and it comes with a gift: the promised HS!
- When you make Jesus Lord of your life, the you get the HS as a permanent gift!
  - We talked about this last week, but many gospel presentations miss it.

36 “So let everyone in Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah!”

Jesus is Messiah – we’ll see that preached to Jewish audiences
Jesus is Lord – preached to both Jews and Gentiles
- Bold statement to Jews
- He’s more than you thought the Messiah would be!
- (Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Abridged Edition (2 Volumes)) The title “Lord” was also proclaimed christologically in Jewish circles, with evident intent to apply to Jesus all that was said of God in the OT
This is Peter’s summary statement, makes most sense in context of earlier verse:
Acts 2:21 (NLT) 21 But everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.

Close:

The gospel is an invitation.

Will you call on the name of the Lord? His identity is no longer secret. It’s Jesus!
- Who died on the cross for our sins
- Who rose from the dead to prove he’s the Messiah
- Who reigns even now at the right hand of the Father
Every other “gospel” is a cheap fake
- Trying to sell you something that won’t satisfy
- And won’t save
The real gospel is all about Jesus
- Have you accepted the invitation to make him Lord of your life?

Talking Points:

Today we’ll answer a basic, yet important question: What is the real gospel? The true gospel has been hijacked by televangelists, secularist, and political parties, but to rediscover it we simply need to re-read the first sermon ever preached in the church age.
The meat of Peter’s sermon was about the person and work of Jesus. For Peter, the good news of the Bible starts and ends with him. Acts 2:22
The gospel requires the cross, and the death of Jesus was not just the work of the Jews and Romans. The crucifixion was part of God’s prearranged plan to save humanity. Acts 2:23
The gospel is proven by the resurrection. Without the resurrection, there is no good news to share. Acts 2:24-31
The gospel declares Jesus is Lord. His Kingdom is already established, and Jesus is already on the throne! Acts 2:33-36
The real gospel is an invitation to respond to the Jesus of the Bible. Every other “gospel” is a cheap fake that won’t satisfy or save. Acts 2:21

Discussion:

Read the talking points above as a group, including scripture references. What are your initial thoughts about these points or about the podcast lesson (see audio above)?
List out the false gospels mentioned in the podcast. What do these false gospels get wrong about the true gospel? What’s a good test of their validity?
Jesus + ______? Apart from established church gospels, what are some “false gospel” that we buy into in our daily lives?
Read Acts 2:38. How does this posture towards God combat the “woke gospel”? What are things that make it difficult to “repent of your sins and turn to God”?
Read 1 Corinthians 15:14. What is the significance of the resurrection for the gospel message, and what does it prove?
In Acts 2:21, Peter makes it clear: “But everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.” Why do you think we humans tend to overcomplicate our salvation?
Have you accepted the invitation to make Jesus Lord of your life? If not, what is holding you back?

This series is still in production. Come back every Friday for a new episode!

The Book of Acts

Podcasts + Discipleship: Click to learn how pursueGOD works.

CHAPTER 1

Intro to the Book of Acts (1:1-5)

Acts 1:1-2

Acts 1:3

Acts 1:4-5

Close

The Promised Spirit (Acts 1:6-11)

Acts 1:6

Acts 1:7-8

Acts 1:9-11

Close

Waiting on God (Acts 1:12-26)

What’s the Best Way to Wait on God? (Acts 1:12-26)

Acts 1:12-13a

Acts 1:13b-14

Close

CHAPTER 2

Pentecost (Acts 2:1-13)

What Is Baptism with the Holy Spirit? (Acts 2:1-13)

Acts 2:1-2

Acts 2:3-4

Acts 2:5-13

Close

BONUS: Is Speaking in Tongues Biblical?

Is Speaking in Tongues Biblical?

First, let’s define terms.

Next, let’s look at Acts

Let’s consider 1 Corinthians 14

The Spirit’s Role (Acts 2:14-21)

What’s the Role of the Spirit in our Lives Today? (Acts 2:14-21)

If only someday…

Peter’s sermon (part 1)

Restored: God’s plan all along

Close

The Real Gospel (Acts 2:22-36)

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