Pentecost (Part A)

Don't one.

If you have missed the importance and power behind these events that are still going on, maybe not as dramatic but you show me a Christian who's not ready and eager to preach Christ and also you a Christian that is does not have the spirit flowing out of them something wrong. Very wrong Christian preaching deathbeds. This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston.

Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of acts. Please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching, but for now let's join Pastor Ricky in the book of acts chapter 2 as he begins his message called Pentecost his turn to the book of acts chapter 2 beginning at verse two will take it all away to verse 13. I love this section when the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place and suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues of fire, and one sat upon each of them and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews develop men from every nation under heaven. When this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another look, are not all these who speak Galileans and how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born Parthians and Medes elements. Those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea Q Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining serene visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes Cretans and Arabs we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God so they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another.

Whatever could this mean others mocking said, they are full of new wine.

I mean is the energy that belongs to how Lucas recorded this step.

All of these people from all over the world are here for this moment. This really is the birth of the church, not Christianity, but the church what we would say to be a game changer. This message is simply entitled Pentecost at everything that I've been commenting on since chapter 1 has been with this moment in mind. It is been leading up building up to this climactic milestone in the church and Christianity and preparation that Jesus had laid on these men repeating to them the spirit is going to come weighed in Jerusalem you will be endued with power. It's again the climactic moment you when I do a wedding, I say to the bride and the groom is a stand before me before we start the the vows of the promises I say the moment that you have been waiting for with great anticipation is here as they've been building up to it. You are shopping close almost of the gold that worrying and now it's here and this is sort of like what's going on with the bride of Christ.

This is it. The moment is here and look at with me if you would at verse one. When the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. Now Luke is going to add energy to that what he says suddenly the holding the great wind came at if you don't see the importance of what is taking place here. Just try to remember that until this event took place. There was no preaching to lost souls. They were just amongst themselves praying and and and studying the word, but it was nothing flowing out of the church out of Christianity was just as stagnant in that sense. But after this is going to change immediately after that, whoever it wasn't made that little Snyder Marburger drunk is going to sell have none of that and who he's going to lovingly begin to explain to them just what is going on, and so don't for one moment. If you have missed the importance and the power behind these events that are still going on, maybe not as dramatic, but you show me a Christian who's not ready and eager to preach Christ and also you a Christian that is does not have the spirit flowing out of them and something is wrong is very wrong. Christian preaching deathbeds back to verse one when the day of Pentecost had fully come, will Pentecost is the feast of firstfruits the harvest and I don't want to get too bogged down in this thought probably will a little bit anyway because you can go nuts trying to figure out the Old Testament rights and ordinances and how they apply the symbolisms onto hard but to to be strict with them.

Even the Jews struggle to this day trying to figure out things about the Mosaic offerings of the first day of the feast of fruits that was the barley, offering 50 days later the Jews with an offer of wheat and that was the end of this Pentecost.

This harvest celebration.

Only the first and last days were celebrated at the temple with a 50 day gap in the word Pentecost means 50 speaking about these 50 days. Now it is about nine in the morning right now and this is taking place. And when Luke writes that the day of Pentecost had fully come when he is saying is it's now daylight will Jews started their day at sundown. So Pentecost really came up Saturday at sundown started that next day, but the offerings would not be given until Sunday morning good morning offerings with would be the daily offerings +2 offerings that belong to this feast and this is what Lucas saying it's fully here now were not at Saturday night it's Sunday morning. The sacrifices that belong to all of the Jewish sacrifices spoke of the Messiah, our Christ, they anticipated him and we have a fuller understanding of these things. Thanks to our New Testament and the apostles and the writers that have given to us so much information in such a short amount of space compared to the Old Testament now Passover spoke of his voluntary sacrifice of Christ thing you know when I'll be born which of who here would like to be born all over again, not identity born again because we want to be born from above, but who would say would go to heaven is like a redo that I don't I don't you know I don't think anybody was still have another thank you but Christ volunteered to come here. Our sacrificial lamb. First Corinthians 5 bosses for indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. That's how we learn about the symbols in the emblems which are which are critical for us, but the firstfruits this this Pentecost. This feast then speak of his death. He speaks of his resurrection and the victory in the life of the sacrifice that comes out all of the Passover, first Corinthians 15 verse 23. Christ, the firstfruits was the name of this based the Jews know it is the feast of harvest of the firstfruits and it offer that firstfruits, that would be barley 50 days later, they'd offer the the Wheaton that would be the 50th day of ending this the celebration again. First Corinthians 15 Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ at his coming and again the speaks of the resurrection and the work that followed the resurrection.

Now were in May or June. That's when this feast would take place it took to competing views by the religious leaders. Remember you have the law of God from Moses and the prophets, and then you have rabbinical Judaism which sort of took a blanket and threw it over the candle or disc is ruined everything that the my new show the laws attacking the burdens there really to this day.

It is just convoluted what the Old Testament preaches no wonder they have the struggle to get to the New Testament. But anyway, in those days and the days that these apostles are experiencing this coming of the spirit.

The two competing views concerning this holiday.

One by the Sadducees group of religious leaders and they really ran Jerusalem and the temple at this time and then the Pharisees another group and they really and the people were more with the Pharisees and they were with the Sadducees, but the Sadducees counted 50 days from the weekly Sabbath after passel.

So if Passover fell on a Monday, they'd wait till Saturday and then they'd start the account. The barley offering of the firstfruits and then 50 days later Pentecost with the wheat offering the Saturn Sadducees, they counted from Passover C had two different you know. So, at what point and that's what I mentioned that even the Jews struggle with understanding of the details to many of these rights.

This Passover happens to be on a Saturday. Whichever view you take it to do it to the calendar worked out that way and Pentecost.

Of course, on a Sunday. Also, and this is why we Christians have as our primary day of assembly on a Sunday, first day of the week. We also celebrate gather on Sunday, not only because Christ rose on Sunday but incidentally is a bonus. A bumper crop. If we have the past, the Passover, the giving of the Holy Spirit occurred on a Saturday also and in acts chapter 20 in verse seven is one place, we read about the church gathering and again and thinned in first Corinthians were we are told the reassemble on a Sunday well us as they were all whose they went here in verse one. They were all with one accord here. Well remember no chapter divisions were given in the Bible. The closest that come from the original documents would bring the songs you have separate songs do not chapters the entire Psalms, but the chapter divisions came later. So when Luke wrote this letter/thesis to Theophilus. There were no breaks.

So you would move right from chapter 1 verse 26 into check what we call chapter 2, verse one. So let's read it together because the antecedent is critical whose last people that Lucas talking about when he then resumes with comes back with the pronouns. Verse 26 of chapter 1 in acts and they cast their lots in the lot fell on Matthias and he was numbered with the 11 apostles and when the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord and II believe strongly that this is the 12 apostles now math bias being added to that number and not only because of the antecedent. In verse 26, but also verse 37 when the apostles are mentioned in address. There singled out no one else's mentioned a making a strong case for being only the 12 F you say, but no I want there to be other people there too well that you can have that opinion. It's not going to you not going to know and up and open our what you had shaved or anything like that.

It's okay so events in acts chapter 1 apartment accepted to verse one through 41 is not the entire chapter, but those events were led and experienced first by the apostles.

They are the ones that opened the door it says here with one accord unity and assembly. A pronounced characteristic with the first Christians without trying, without even referencing probably Amos three and two walk together, unless they are agreed.

Here they are walking together and they are agreed and they are in one place. They are simple and we have good reason to believe that this was not in the upper room sales of the little things that can irritate somebody what it was more than just a 12 all surviving was up in your wrong again so. Just kidding. But, of course, when you go to hear him pastor speak you going to get his beliefs hopefully is not conforming unless you really got some ammo on you.

But anyway, in one place.

Well we saw them in the upper room in chapter 1 in verse four and again in verse 13 could have been different upper rooms with no reason to think it was only one upper room available to be rented out or borrowed but I pointed this out last session. Luke 24 verse 52. Luke adds this summing up what was going on with the apostles after Christ had risen and showed himself to them. But before Pentecost and before it says and they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy that is after his his ascension and were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God.

Amen.

So, in a surprise to find them in the temple now will get to why. Maybe some folks confuse this is simply for the word translated house will cover that what in Jerusalem really only the temple and around the temple could accommodate the multitudes. Not only that are going to be baptized but who are gathering there really was no open courtyard. They were courtyards and homes were not enough to carry over 3000 men. So this is a you know just using sense here and have a reason why not to the ritual cleansing pools of the Jews that were all over Jerusalem archaeologist still finding them in Jerusalem and essentially these little pools will you know the rabbis laying on the people. When you come to Jerusalem you're going to have to go through the ritual cleansing wash yourself so they had these pools all over the place. This is Pentecost feast of firstfruits required all male, all men of the Jews to come to Jerusalem is white. Luke is laying out in our path.

Any and zeolite all these other folks are coming into there's an multitudes of people that are here and you you can't just have a sink and expect people to wash up there is so live that got these pools all over the place called Mick's one of the largest one was 220 found one of the largest ones found by the temple on the temple grounds for close to 225 feet wide. I mean that's that's just with with 33 steps or resource sections to exit and enter the pool and it would be difficult if not far-fetched to say that while they were in the upper room and 3000 people heard them speaking in tongues L of her to win, and then the tongues and then they were Peter preached to them and they could hear Peter preach to them and they gave your life to Christ and they will all Pepto this is happening in some Narrow St. in Jerusalem.

The only place that can really accommodate them is the temple ground, not the narrow streets again of of the city. So this is these are reasons why I have these beliefs, not just because I want to disagree with others who do think they were in an upper room in the just impossible to be anyway. Verse two and suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a mighty as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Clearly something outside of human influence is going on. That's the point that Lucas making River. He's making points he's done his research. And as he's writing this he's thinking as any writer would do and he wants to be clear about the events he wants them to be accurate and that he wants to capture the moment.

So when you read this, the narrator story narrated from the verses is kind of drawn out, but the experience was Taking place quite rapidly. The wind came that the spirit filled the house and the dwelling place with a work that the manifestation of tongues and fire, all of this is happening.

The crowds converging on and then you know that the sermon that comes in so this is the things of a moving at a rapid pace here, but God the Holy Spirit's grand entrance to birth the church was sudden. I mean, they knew something was going to happen to the apostles.

They had the promise they weren't expecting this not like not like this.

They need to wait at the temple waiting Jerusalem says as of a rushing mighty wind, and not a destructive wind.

Incidentally, when God appeared to Moses in the bush that burned the bush was not consumed.

God is not into destroying his people really is one training when the voice of long-suffering Jesus said this to Nicodemus wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the spirit because it got a weathervane. You probably figured out but just in general is of the Lord is and when you know the wind comes, was coming from really wears a coming from the son the guy with the machine down the hallway is coming out the win and that till it was sort of is consistent with what is happening here since where they were sitting while they were hanging out together the apostles. They were gathered together, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.

This is divine saturation.

Now one of my Bible teachers Alan Redpath through mostly books he said to be saturated with the word of God is to be filled with the presence of God, why have saturated my myself of the word of God over the decades and there's just been times when I did not feel that I was filled with God, but I was you don't have to feel it just has to be there. That is critical and in. You can approve this.

You can be in the most sour mood nearly in the flesh and the opportunity to share Christ pops up in front of you and you go right at seated walking as I don't feel like I feel right is out of file on the real action item little irritated with God right now and you come across somebody and got up was going to get the ship chance to share news.just pouring out the gospel. It is magnificent anyway filled the present. It filled the room with the presence it filled the people. Now, the use of the word house here is not a resident says I feel I have established verse chapter 7 verse 47 we read, but Solomon built him a house, the same Greek word what Houston Solomon built what the temple is it just is not complicated, it it, which houses of the house was an upper room which one is it while it's neither is there at the temple and there were canopy places there were to shield from the sun and end of the elements and report the portico of Solomon would've been perfect for this kind of a thing little gazebos here and there you go to a conference center. They have these little niches where you can kind of going meditating. The temple had these kinds of things. Well, verse three Herod's Temple had these kind of things, not the temple of Moses Tabernacle Moses verse three then there appeared to them divided tongues as of fire, and one sat upon each of them appeared to them divided tongues serious symbolism going on here.

This isn't random. This is a well you know why tongues. I mean, I've always not like that. I would rather run in office drugs.

The kind of them. I don't anybody tongues it is egg but but it is important is that I wouldn't change it is know what I'm saying entirely emblematic and educational is deliberate is God's deliberate choice. Certainly not a literal fire that would be destructive. Also, but the tongue of fire. That is the human instrument and of course the tongue because of the fire emblem of the Holy Spirit is supercharged. The tongue is supercharged.

Now you tell me what is anointing mean one should be anointed. I mean they're different there anointed to preach anointed to share anointed to write its inspiration.

The tongue is human but the fire of the inspiration is divine and here we see in union with God for specific purpose.

These two have come together, these two emblems the mouth of people in the power of God. You shall be endured with power and this is exact precisely what he is talking about for the specific purpose of witnessing glaring reasoning of exhorting the persuading giving influence more than just the life is not enough to live a righteous life you have the message. I get people connected anything without the message move you've been listening to cross reference radio daily radio ministry pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel in Mechanicsville, Virginia. As we mentioned at the beginning of today's broadcast. Today's teaching is available free of charge at our website. Simply visit cross reference radio.com that's cross reference radio.com would also like to encourage you to subscribe to the cross reference radio podcast subscribing ensures that you stay current with all the latest teachings from Pastor Rick you could subscribe to cross reference radio.com or simply search for cross reference radio your favorite podcast to the next time as Pastor Rick continues teaching through the book of acts right here on cross reference radio