The Secret to Sharing the Gospel Effectively | Unity for a Great Purpose

Everybody you're listening to a new beginning, which is a podcast made possible by harvest partners. If this program is impacted you love to hear from you.

So just send an email to me at greg@harvest.org again it's greg@harvest.org you can learn more about becoming harvest partner by going to harvest.org coming up today on a new beginning after Greg Lori has an important word of encouragement without focusing on what's most important. I don't know if I can remember a time in our nation we been more divided and I think sometimes lonely in our political views to overshadow our theological views and we find ourselves divided number. The primary message can only be able to cry and large Orcish beautiful music comes when everyone plays together in harmony.

If each is playing a different tune. They have a word for that young today on a new beginning after Greg. Lori points out the importance of unity in our efforts to bring the gospel generation in a time of disunity and the culture than ever that we all come together in one if you've ever had a new car. There's nothing like the smell of a new car. You don't say is cruising down the road. Everything is clean and shiny and everything is working, you got your new car you're driving around your love and it's so fantastic and then after about a week or so, your car just sputters that stop you have to pull over to the side of the road. You have a trailer to the car dealership you're pretty upset you say why did this car stop.

It's brand-new and the dealer gets in your Carney turns of on Lisa's erotica. Okay. How silly would that and so I bring this up because sometimes as Christians we fail to realize that we need to be filled and refilled and refilled again with the Holy Spirit and were looking out at church. The first century church. The church should change the world. And this was something that they encountered on a regular basis, because I think sometimes as Christians were sort of sputtering or slowing down or not firing on all cylinders. It's because we need fuel in the tank. But what is it mean to be filled with the Holy Spirit then will be here that phrase we imagine it must be an emotional experience will affect is a campy right when you say Lord fill me with your Holy Spirit. You may feel something, but then again you may feel nothing I said recently, you have an emotional experience. When he put gas in your car or your SUV and I said you may want to see how much money it's gonna cost you right so we have just sent the emotional idea of side understand this first century church. They were filled with the spirit again and again and again and set them in the motion back. I think you get title the book about the acts of the Holy Spirit. The Bible doesn't call this the acts of the apostles that was titled later but really this is the work of the Holy Spirit and will we bring up the Holy Spirit. Some people wonder who was the Holy Spirit effort someone as my wife the other day the very new in the faith cool is the Holy Spirit that's a good question. The Holy Spirit is part of the Trinity, father, son and Holy Spirit. He is a personality.

He's not just of wars.

He has the distinct will and purpose. In fact, the Holy Spirit can be resisted. The Holy Spirit can be quenched. The Holy Spirit can be lied to the Holy Spirit can be insulted and the Holy Spirit can even be blasphemed. In fact, the only unforgivable sin in the Bible is the blasphemy of the holy. What is that mean the work of the Holy Spirit is to bring us to Jesus Christ. That's point number one is come to bring us to Jesus. John 16 a Jesus is speaking of the spirit.

When he has come, he will convict the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment. So if I blaspheme, it means I'm resisting the primary work. He is come to do in my life I'm saying no to Jesus.

The only unforgivable sin is the rejection of Christ.

Every other sin can be forgiven. So Holy Spirit comes to bring us to Jesus.

Number two, the Holy Spirit seals us. So when you become a Christian. He seals you what is this even mean well over in Ephesians 113 it says when you believe in Christ, he identified you as its own. By giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago was in this spirit is God's guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised that he purchased us to be his own people, so let's go back to the new corporate he got out of the car log is I like that car. I like to buy that car.

Can you hold it for me for six months that it is a know we cannot do that because someone else make a moment to buy the car but if you put a deposit down will hold it for you for you a certain amount of time you know maybe 24 hours, maybe 48 hours but we neither posited showing that you really want to buy this card so you put a serious deposit down on the car in the same way God says I'm serious about the work I'm doing in your life and approve it when you believe in me. I'm giving you the holy spirit if my guarantee that I'll give you the inheritance. I promise. Number three. The Holy Spirit assures me that I am a child of God. Have you ever doubted if you really say. Have you ever questioned if you're really going to heaven. Have you ever wondered if you really are God's child, listen, if you put your faith in Christ. The Bible says God is sent his spirit into your life to remind you that you belong to him. In fact, we read over in Romans 816 the spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. I know I'm a Christian. I know I'm a child of God say why because you're such a great person. Yes, no, not really. Contrarily opposite of that. Despite my shortcomings in my mistakes and my sins. I know I'm God's job because his spirit confirms into my heart and you sense that as well. Don't you were told over and first John 513 these things we write to you that you may know that you have eternal life because you believed on the name of the son of God. So let's review. Holy Spirit comes to bring us to Jesus. He seals us, the Holy Spirit reminds us, for God's children. Here's another one.

The Holy Spirit teaches us. John 1426, the helper Jesus as the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and will bring to your remembrance all things that I have said to you if you ever at a time. You're just reading the Bible and all of a sudden it just comes alive up versus jumps off the page and it speaks to you so directly.

That's exactly what you needed to hear or is urban another occasion, or maybe your sharing your faith with someone encouraging her ministering to someone and suddenly a verse that you don't even remember memorizing jumps into your brain and your quoting it perfectly in your sink. Part of that happened. That is the work of the Holy Spirit, teaching you and bringing things to your remembrance, and also the Holy Spirit leads us.

Romans 814 says for as many as are led by the spirit of God. They are the sons of God.

I found this leading is usually just the prompting just a sense of direction. I feel like I need to go talk to that person. Maybe I need to do this thing little promptings from the Holy Spirit that you will begin to sense as you mature in your faith.

And finally, the Holy Spirit wants to empower you and fill you again and again and again.

Ephesians 5 says don't be drunk with wine, because I will ruin your life but be filled with the spirit speaking to yourself in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart. So the Lord that phrase refilled is a command you're commanded to be filled with the spirit.

Secondly, it's something you should receive again and again. It speaks of a continuous flow of the spirit into your life. So we need to be praying for this.

Each and every day.

So were annexed to our reading about the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out on the church they spoken new languages or Tom and there were divided flames of fire on their head. Don't let me say this.

This was a one-off event and never happen like this again were filled with the spirit again, but not in this particular way, so this was sort of the explosion of the engine. If you will like when you start your car that set the early church in the motion we don't need another Pentecost any more than we need another Calvary. Jesus is not to die again and again.

He's done that it's finished. We don't need another Pentecost. What we need is to appropriate what was unleashed on the day of Pentecost for the power of the spirit is still here for us today.

First Peter said to the believers there. This promise again of the Holy Spirit is to you.

It's to your children.

It's to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God show called Mr. Greg Laurie will have the second half of his message just a moment. Everybody what are you doing this weekend.

I like to hang out with you at harvest and home services home.

It is a time of worship and Bible study exclusively designed for people that are viewing in from all over the place so you can be a part of our extended congregation at Harvest at Home. Join us this weekend Saturday and Sunday for Harvest at Home@harvest.org Pastor Greg is about to lead us into an exciting part of our text today in acts chapter 2. He continues, so let's find out what happened because after this outpouring of the spirit took place.

Simon Peter got up and preached a sermon in 3000 people bully. That's a lot of people.

Why why did so many respond. I think there's some principles in his message that we can employ in our own lives as we share the gospel. Let's relax to verses to the seven I'm reading, by the way, from the new living translation of the day of Pentecost. All the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. And then what looked like lanes or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them and everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit.

They began speaking in other languages as the Spirit gave them this ability. At that time there were devout Jews from every nation living in Jerusalem, they heard a loud voice, everyone came running and they were bewildered to give their own language being spoken by the believers and they were completely amazed and said how can this be stopped or so people from around the world are gathered in Jerusalem for the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit is poured out, and everyone here is there language represented as people who don't know those languages are speaking of those languages and giving glory to God. This reminds us the gospel is for everyone on every continent.

The gospel is not just for the white man. It's not just for the black man. It's not just for the Hispanic person or the Asian person that for every person in every continent and every language gets for everybody. We read in the book of Revelation chapter 7 verse nine, there's going to be a great multitude in heaven that no one could number from all tribes, peoples and languages. So the question is sometimes a one about the person in the middle of the desert was never heard the gospel. Apparently these people are going to hear the gospel because every language, every tribe, every culture, every race is represented in heaven. So what's the explanation.

Somebody will sit there just drunk.

This is what drunk people do all the time speaking languages they've never heard before giving glory to God. Most of the time.

You can even understand what a drunk good thing. What would it kill us explanation but it reminds us of first Corinthians 214 people warned spiritual can receive these truths from God spirit. It sounds foolish to them they can understand it.

But for those who are spiritual they understand what the spirit means so God is getting ready now to change the world. The hundred and 20 people.

What can we learn from this point number one if you're taking notes. There were unified they were unified they were together. Verse two on the day of Pentecost. All the believers were meeting together and one place these believers had no earthly power they had no armies.

They had no money, they had no status they had no political power, but they had Jesus and Jesus had them and they were together.

I don't know if I can remember a time in our nation we been more divided and I would even say in the church so many unnecessary divisions and I think sometimes were allowing our political views to overshadow our theological views and some people are even picking churches. According to if they represent them in every way politically and we find ourselves divided. We need to remember that our primary message is God's kingdom.

Calling people to Christ. It is the devil wants to divided because the devil knows that he can divide and conquer my responses. Let's get together, let's work together. Let's pray together. That's what we do in the harvest Crusade, we come together and we pray and we bring folks out to hear the gospel and we can disagree and secondary issues that still focus on what matters, which is the gospel so the Holy Spirit is poured out. I wonder what if God was waiting for us to get together before he poured his spirit out on us when we was waiting for the sin I want to do what you need to come together even to stop letting things divide you. Second Chronicles 714.

We often quoted God says if my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways. Notice that's not addressed to an individual. It's addressed to a group is talking to us, not just to you to meet applies to us. Of course, but since hey all you all y'all. As they say in the South.

All y'all. If you will turn from your sins and get together and pray together all hear from heaven and forgive your sin and heal your land. So here is this violent rushing wind.

The word suddenly implies it was supernatural. And of course it was incredible move of the Holy Spirit in their field of the spirit and as I've already said God wants to refill you again and again and again as a matter of fact, after the day of Pentecost.

Some of the apostles were told to stop preaching the gospel. So what are they there is a let's pray for even more boldness to preach the gospel. I love that attitude and in acts 431 we read after they prayed this prayer the building where they were meeting should they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and they preach God's message with boldness so God refill them again didn't now there's no better example of the difference that the Holy Spirit can make in a person's life, then Simon Peter, Simon Peter, who openly denied his Lord Simon Peter, who was more concerned about the opinions of some random stranger than what Christ himself thought Bill gets up to deliver the sermon. Simon Peter wanted to get this chutzpah order to get this current wording get this boldness he got it from being filled with the Holy Spirit. Remember, acts 18 you shall receive power, after the Holy Spirit is come upon you to be witnesses unto me. This is practical power. This is power with the purpose because that's not how high you can jump itself straight. You walk when you hit the ground again. I think sometimes people want to go to church.

They want to have an emotional encounter. That's okay, in a way but what I'm more interested in is how it impacts you the holiest moment of the church service is when God's people walk out the doors and the impact we make in the world that you will see that some will see if this is making any difference in our lives. So let's look now at what Peter says. Acts chapter 2, verse 36 he gets up and says these words to the people gather everyone in Israel know for certain the Lord God is made this Jesus whom you crucified to be both Lord and Messiah, Peter's words pierced their hearts and they said to him, and the other apostles, brothers, what should we do Peter replied every one of you should repent of your sins and turn to God, to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promises to you to your children. Those who are far away and to all will call on the Lord our God, then Peter continued preaching for a long time.

I underline that verse in my Bible.

He continued preaching for a long time see long sermons are good. Sometimes people but anyway, he continued preaching for a long time strongly urging all the listeners save yourselves from this trip a generation.

Those who believe what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day about 3000 in all stop there.

3000 new believers amazing on one day after one sermon, why do Peter of such an amazing response to his message. He knew his audience or his congregation. He knew that some of the people he was speaking to literally played a role in the crucifixion of Jesus. Can you imagine maybe one of those Roman guards was there the count of the spikes the hands of Jesus.

The religious leaders were therefore sure listening, and very critical, and he points maybe a finger you crucified Not speaking figuratively.

You think you I know you I remember you. I was there I saw you, you crucified So is very specific. He also quotes a lot of scripture. He quotes huge portions of the Old Testament, apparently from memory so the fishermen had been busy. You been reading and memorizing the Bible slowly pulled out the scroll of Joel here.

That's a big Giants quoted in the Bible like we have now where I felt when the phone only opened Joel know just from his heart quoted Scripture see that was his audience.

They were people the new Scripture. There were Jewish people in Jerusalem for Pentecost, and he spoke to them in a way they would understand contrast of Paul on Mars Hill speaking to the people of Athens we would describe it as a pagan culture. They didn't know the Lord.

They didn't know Scripture. They worship false gods and so Paul spoke in a different way to them. And if we were to look at our country today are much more like Athens and we are like Jerusalem or were in a post-Christian era, when I began preaching back in the 1800s, people were more biblically illiterate that what I would say Adam and Eve are no and is our core reference some story they lease in a general sense of what that meant. Nowadays people they don't even know the most basic Bible stories. That's why we have to really speak in a clear way to people today because there's so biblically illiterate.

So when you're sharing your faith to know the person you're speaking to Greg Laurie great insight today from our studies of acts chapter 2 and our need to unify and deliver the good news to a culture that needs it so desperately and then right now is our privilege to make available a wonderful book called Steve McQueen the salvation of an American icon as many people know. In fact, they may have learned it in your book.

Pastor Greg Billy Graham gave Steve McQueen his own Bible yes and McQueen was clutching it when he passed away. So let's say you're up in heaven at the moment, Steve McQueen and Billy Graham for see each other and your eavesdropping. What are they say oh my goodness, I can even imagine what the conversation would be. I'm sure Steve would think Billy for the Bible but it just reminds us that what happens on earth has an impact on eternity Steve McQueen.

He had horrible cancer. This is after he had already committed his life to Christ and the doctors in America had really given them no hope. So we started going down and getting what we might describe as unorthodox treatments at a clinic in Mexico, so Stephen chartered a private plane and she really wanted to meet Billy Graham and talk with him so his pastor Leonard to wit reached out to Billy Graham's team, and an arrangement was made and Billy actually showed up on the runway, boarded the plane and sat down and had a conversation with Steve McQueen. They had prayer together and Billy reassured Steve and then Steve was alarmed to find that he had forgotten his Bible and Billy said here let me give you mine and Billy gave to Steve his well-worn New Testament he inscribed it to Steve as well and does Steve took up Bible with them down to war as Mexico.

The surgery was successful but tragically, McQueen died in recovery. When they pulled that sheet back.

He was tightly clutching the Bible that Billy Graham gave him. I was talking with Barbara McQueen, Steve's widow and she pulled up Bible out like Elder my only hands and it was a small New Testament and I just thought of all that Steve had to get a literal airplane hangar full of the coolest cars and motorcycles and planes and things that any guy could want.

It was the ultimate man cave one. I was all said and done the most precious objects. Steve had was that Bible given to him by Billy Graham powerful story in its in my new book that is titled Steve McQueen the salvation of an American icon.

It's a story of the conversion of the most unlikely person in his days. Steve McQueen was the number one movie star and all of the world, he came to faith in Jesus Christ after he saw the emptiness of the life he had pursued he had everything that most people dream of and more and he realized that was not the answer, so that sent him on his search and he found his way to Christ and he became a Christian and was walking with the Lord and then later found out he was sick and tragically died of that cancer, but thankfully he is in heaven now and him and Billy Graham are rejoicing together and it's right it's a great story and Pastor Greg goes into even more detail in his book, Steve McQueen, the salvation of an American icon. It's so moving that story is just the tip of the iceberg of the surprising things you learn about Hollywood's number one movie star of his day, would like to send this to you to thank you for partnering with us. So these daily studies can continue to come your way. We appreciate the fact that you join us and so many others here in this community. Listen as well and your donation helps these teachings continue to teach believers and reach unbelievers, so thanks for your gift today and don't forget to ask for the book, Steve McQueen, the salvation of an American icon.

You can call us at 1-800-821-3300. We can take your call anytime. That's 1-800-821-3300 or write a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 four. Go online to harvest.for the next time will take a close look at the message Peter preached in acts chapter 2. Identify several principles for effective evangelism.

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