Pentecost (Part B)

When Paul prayed for the Colossians in Colossians chapter 1 verses 912, you wanted them to be filled. He wanted them to be righteous and itemize these virtues. But he omitted tongues as though it weren't that important.

When Paul was encouraging them.

It would've been odd to leave out. Speaking in tongues.

That was an essential sign of being filled with the spirit, when he is talking about being filled. 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, and now here's Pastor Rick in acts chapter 2 as he continues his message called Pentecost when you go to hear him pastor speak you going to get his beliefs and 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 and 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 abscess summing up what was going on with the apostles after Christ had risen and showed himself to them before Pentecost and before it says and they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy that is after is 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. But 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 where you know the rabbis laying on the people. When you come to Jerusalem you're going to have to go through a 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 and swiped Luke is laying out in our path.

Any and zeolite all these other folks are coming into the multitudes of people that are here and you you can't just have a sink and expect people to wash up there 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 where with 33 steps or course 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 all heard the wind, and then the tongs and then they were Peter preached to them and they could hear Peter preach to them and they gave their lives to Christ and they were all about. Though this is happening 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 and 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 to Lucas making member. 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 sued the narrator. The story narrated from the verses is kinda drawn out, but the experience was Taking place quite rapidly. The wind came the spirit filled the house and the dwelling place with a work that the manifestation of tongues and fire all 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 way that the temple waited Jerusalem says as of a rushing mighty wind, and nondestructive 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 sure anyone of why so 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 will cause it got weathervane you got it 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 coming out to win, and that till it was sort of is consistent with what is happening here is 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, mostly books he said to be saturated with the word of God is to be filled with the presence of God live 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 and 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 don't feel right is I don't feel that I've realized I come 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, it 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 good Solomon built what the temple is it just is not complicated, it is 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 canopied places they 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 I don't know if this draws kind of them.

I don't anymore tongues. It is egg, but what it is important is that I wouldn't change it. Not as know what I'm saying entirely emblematic and educational. It is deliberate.

It 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 that one should be anointed. I mean they're different. The anointed preacher anointed to share going to do right 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 precise. He what he is talking about for the specific purpose of witnessing of declaring of reasoning, of exhorting the persuading of giving influence more than just the life is not enough to live a righteous life you have to have the message.

I get people connected anything without the message. Second Corinthians chapter 5 you love the second Corinthians section, you know, it's such a heartfelt letter you know in first Corinthians balls doing business. The first nine chapters, he spent cleaning up as poor poor Pauline I just wanted to hug him when you widen, I'm sorry I do that anyway so I can really is five or 20 we are ambassadors for Christ, not diplomats and basset as though God were pleading through us.

We implore you on Christ's behalf be reconciled to God.

You see the tongue is producing this and that tongue is anointed human word human speech divine power, the author and finisher of our faith.

Second Corinthians 5 verse 11.

Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord we persuade men how do you do that through preaching the word of God telling the truth about God and the truth about med is a very simple message man is all messed up.

God is not and then we just fill in the blanks and that's witnessing when you go to witness to people you don't say you know things like eschatological you speaking to find that I don't know that I don't want to hear that they want to hear fact and true come flowing out of somebody that has seen something that was there no mention incidentally cousin would not wear on tongues and would not tongues that were given to the church are not identical to what's going on here, but I do will make littlest comments on this as we move on. When Paul the apostle was converted and Ananias went to say Paul, your sins are forgiven.

The scales came off his eyes and he was filled with the Holy Spirit were told there is no mention of him speaking in tongues. You can read that next chapter 9 it's another places to enact will get to it three times going through acts because that conversion is so powerful work of God, not a work of Paul.

When Paul prayed for the Colossians in Colossians chapter 1 verses nine through 12. He wanted them to be filled. One of them to be righteously itemized. These virtues. But he omitted tongues as though it weren't that important.

When Paul was encouraging them.

It would've been odd to leave out.

Speaking in tongues. If that was an essential sign of being filled with the spirit, when he is talking about being filled with the spirit so come back and give it to you in doses because you just can't take one shot. You gotta get three and boosters that show it's funny as a fire with flames.

I'm using five different thereof, degrees of fire. The flame of fire of the little flame. A pilot you like on a gas furnace is little pilot there is acute and within this flame and this is what they're seeing these flaming tongues of their goal.

They were divided since you know that this is one little thing is moving here is a metaphor. Luke chapter 12 verse 49 Jesus speaking I came to send fire on earth, and how I wish you were already candle pulling at the least you could say chomping at the bit you know you he wants to get the church in motion is gotta go through the death and the resurrection and the ascension and then Pentecost divided tongues, plural, fire, singular, multiple tongues from one God. That's the idea is one source thereof. There are not many ways to heaven.

For example, there's one where all roads lead to Rome, but not all of them lead to heaven is only one in heaven and that is Jesus Christ.

The way the truth and the life.

Like it or not, take it or leave it fact, Jack. That's how it is well we look at the book of Kings, we talking about fire right now and there.

Eliza has this tool with the false prophets of thou*and Eliza says them you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of Yahweh and the God who answers by fire. He is God. This on a settlement. You would think that when they saw this happen on now, they were converted their lives would've been spared. Sort of a microcosm of judgment you should know you, you see the truth. You either convert or judgment. Of course, because Elijah then had the people slay the false prophets, which ended up being a contract out on his life. Well, not really a contract with an eating anyway.

The God who answers by fire the tongue again distinctly human.

The fire is completely divine God working with with people both can be hijacked in this sense heresy a person uses the tongue to spare to spread their heresy.

False fire they dab in the Bible beginning of the lesson there in the book of Leviticus chapter 10, there can be those who say I felt such a heater my heart I know was a spirit and be totally off base from Scripture.

Well you go. Follow your heart when you die, you can go answer to your chest. As for me I want what the Lord wants, and I said to takes everything I've got to come close to him without his mercy.

I never make it. God was not in the wind with Eliza when Eliza does run from the you know the death threats. He finally gets to the wilderness and is hiding in and God is ministering to Elijah on one hand is correcting him on another hand, so he's is this almost cute.

I would want to trade places cute with Eliza but it was almost in the sense God says I alright I'm going to Best Buy and of course it was the wind and God was on the wind was the earthquake and I was on the earthquake in the fire and I was on the fire that still small voice and then a God of course after getting Eliza's head back in the game.

He says that God did not document from accepting both Eliza by the way you said I you the only one following me I got 7011 bow the knee and so this is quite a God doesn't later down in the in the interaction. He doesn't get to it right away. I would've been a patient. I would want to get that right away. Anyway, it's not an entertaining story is that they could be it.

It's a candy entertaining.

It is a story, but it is true, and it is available, albeit not as sensational necessarily so. These emblems of the tongue divided the tongues divided in the fire supernatural indicators of divine activity just God supernaturally saying I'm here and you cannot duplicate this. You cannot believe what you are and go home and show your children, let me say what happened to me today. Tongues of fire reappear over your head in the way you did not happen. This is material to this moment.

The wind that first announced the coming of the spirit. The wind pushes in the fire purges. These things belong to the emblem. If you take the wind in the form of oxygen and you take fire in the form of acetylene. For example, or propane and you you regulate them together and you push them out together. You have a porch missing will borrow 5000° hot and that's what you used to cut steel and and so looking at this you know the wind in the fire. You've got a lot of heat and this is intentional. I want the presence of the Holy Spirit. I want the fire and I want him to use my mouth and James of course goes the other direction. Warning about the tongue being hijacked.

As I mentioned earlier, and how easy it is for Kristin for good Christian people to mess up everything with the Snyder snarky little comment and it happens too much. Told never done it myself, but I've heard about you people messing up anyway. Is that good, as I would be if angels were entrusted with the gospel right but sinners are entrusted with the gospel. And so we are in it together and largely we go through life spiritually, feeling alone.

A lot of times feeling that God is seen on never leave me for nor for sake me, but he must be way down the block because I don't sense his presence yet. By faith we overcome help. Without this fire preaching would be man-made. This the connection between the tongue and the fire without the fire. The tongue is just the tongue is nothing more to it. With this fire. This is something special and so much so when God wanted to grab Moses attention the first time Bill announced NAI or Sinai. If you pronounce prefer that pronunciation. He engulfed the bush with a flame did not destroy the bush fire is often used to depict the holy presence and his purifying work. We know Isaiah chapter 6 now this is Isaiah in the year, King Uzziah died, I saw the ladies. I was king for 55, 52 years I might be off a little bit wanted to set a five or two to get going. I had three right was 52 years and I was a good K and he died and I left a void in the heart of the prophet in the kingdom and at that time, God manifest himself to the prophet Isaiah's eyes, the Lord, high and lifted up train of his robe. We we know the story and then God says who shall I send. I want to volunteer to send out the preach Isaiah raises hand and I encourage you… The world thing is don't ever volunteer that is not God's thing our God volunteered to come here for us and he expects us to volunteer to be used by him based on what he did by coming here.

I say okay when you get Isaiah 6. Then after he says although this is how you treat a pastor. Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal, I would've been a little nervous at this point, hoping he'd stop on time. For instance, anyway having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar, not now. He's now he can't touch them with the doing, putting them on my lips see you know these little things in the Scripture right here taken with the tongs from the altar and he touched my mouth with it said, behold this is, this has touched your lips, your iniquity is taken away and your sin purged so we talking about fire as the emblem also for purging the purifying work of God. Here the prophet Isaiah, his mouth, his lips the tongue the whole thing is being dealt with by God using the seraphim in Isaiah's vision prepping him for ministry. And then God sends him out to preach and his message is not a happy seeker friendly message and in you know, my point is this, it is not seeker friendly to withhold the entire gospel from people. It is not seeker friendly to skirt around telling people your your center and if you don't fix it you going to go to hell, and the only way you can fix it is by accepting the fix and this is the good news bad news is that the opt out will then God will lock you out and that's not what we want so back to this, it says here in verse three will most done here and I got a bunch ways go up fix this one set on each of them, none were missed number left out. We cannot have all the gifts but we can have all the grace and we can have it flow through us. But if you want grace to flow through you.

Get this straight. You're going to have to face who you are and who you are not going to have the face who God is and let him God is going to take work. Nobody is just what you know this is the disposition know it's not spiritual thing.

Grace is not carnal, it is not natural on this brings spiritual this is balancing faith 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 can 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