Acts Chapter 1:1-6

That's interesting you know you can tell people there's millions of stars in the galaxy and planets I've never seen and they believe talk about Napoleon and Waterloo. They believe it. Talk about Julius Caesar and Brutus people believe you start talk about Jesus being resurrected and also people start backing up understand there's more literary historic archaeological proof that Jesus Christ was born live died and was resurrected than the fact that Julius Caesar ever lived or George Washington ever crossed the Delaware River. But when's the last time is are audibly just about your growth Delaware River and spoke fulfill Virgil. Welcome to cross the bridge with David McKee. David is the senior pastor of the bridge in Kernersville North Carolina today were so blessed to have with us on the program. One of David McGee's associate pastors DA Brown welcome brother hey Bob am excited beyond excited about these teachings in the book of acts men the study to the book of acts is going to be awesome. I hope everyone can consistently tune in his can be great today were to jump right off by asking yourself how should we get information about the Holy Spirit. So many people have something to say about the Holy Spirit. Where should we really look to to gather that information. Bob, let's get started with David McKee with his teaching from acts chapter 1 talk about the Lord that were start a new book new chapter the book of acts and is so cool because you know I was yesterday. I was back there studying Internet journey out of my office and I it was like while it is happening here the book of acts all over again. This kind interesting because the book of acts never really ends it doesn't really there's not a final and that was it because it's still going all acts chapter 1 verse one the former account I made old Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach there. We have a lot of what the book is about. It says of all that Jesus began both to do and to teach and notice the priorities there. It says Jesus did, the stuff and just teach it.

He did it and he taught it and you know we need to remember that because so many times were trying to tell somebody about Jesus but they're looking for us to do something like Jesus.

A lot of times I see the disparity between what we say and what we do and they go well. I don't believe you because I don't see the good so we need to be careful that as we are telling somebody there were live in and out that were walking it out doesn't mean you live a perfect life in front of everybody you're talking to about Jesus. Yes it does know I'm just it doesn't mean that but here's the thing, even when you Masa that can be used by God to them and in this way, LC get angry or people around you. They know your believer watch you lose it instead of going I didn't really lose it I wasn't really yelling at her son like I was only because the room was so quiet whatever you say and you know what I did. I get upset I need to apologize because as a Christian I want to follow Jesus. Now I wasn't very much like Jesus, just, and used as an opportunity that's an awesome thing. This is what we want to be doing here. We want to be teaching. And we want to be doing and I in you know and teach reach reach teach.

We talk about that a lot.

Not only do we want to reach out but you know I want to reach people that are here.

You know that God brings people herein and I want to see them walking in the fullness of what God has for I want to see them awakened out of the slumber of what this world has to offer and awaken the what the Lord is trying to do in their life. Theophilus is an interesting word. Some of you may be able to guess what it is we will use the word theology, which is the study of God. That's a kind of agreed things the old meaning God and then we have Phyllis, our father service from the Cecilio now if you were here last few weeks. You may have a guess about what silly old me, Cecilio means friend right, it's a it's the love that you have for a friend. So it's either lover of God, a friend of God. We believe that this man was a high up Roman official. Some of speculated that perhaps Luke was his personal physician.

We don't know that for sure. The other theory, and this is an interesting one is that Luke was preparing a historical document from the gospel of Luke and the acts of the apostles to present to the Roman officials during the trial of Paul and this holds a lot of water look on exam another's week long verse two until the day in which he was taken up after he's through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom he had chosen verse three to whom he had also presented himself alive after his suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during 40 days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

Again, this book is written by Luke very few people dispute that the sky interesting, because we find ourselves engaging in a book that is unique in a lot of ways, but one of the ways in which its unique is it is the only book well it's not the only book it's the only author in the Bible who is not Jewish, and it will go into that another time about why we believe that Luke wasn't Jewish he was a Gentile.

We would use that word. He wrote the gospel of Luke and the book of acts, and outside of it. Short portion of Daniel, written by Nebuchadnezzar who is not a Jewish person we find ourselves in a Gentile book in the sky.

Interesting because the book shows how the gospel spreads out to the Gentiles that mentions many infallible proofs to Jesus appeared to people after he was resurrected. It wasn't just some Siri running around and it's coming interesting because we have a Roman historical writings we have Jewish historical writings people that weren't following Jesus that recognize that Jesus was resurrected and was walking around.

This is interesting to me.

So there is a lot approved for this if you will. That's interesting you know you can tell people there's millions of stars in the galaxy and planets I've never seen and they believe you talk about Napoleon and Waterloo and they believe it. Talk about Julius Caesar and Brutus talk about George Washington and the Delaware people believe you start talking about Jesus being resurrected. Nelson people start backing up to understand there's more literary historic archaeological proof that Jesus Christ was born, lived, died and was resurrected than the fact that Julius Caesar ever lived or George Washington ever crossed the Delaware River. But when's the last time user audibly just about George Washington growth, Delaware River, and spoke to Virgil with the issue. What issues the human heart.

See, because the moment I see no yeah. I believe that about Jesus what he do that. See you can believe in the Milky Way.

Guess what you have to do anything you believe in George Washington not going personally probably affect you but you say that you believe that Jesus is the son of God that he came to die for the sins of the world. Guess what, now what you do. Accepting your rejecting many of you accepting guess what you start doing the things that he talked about. We should be doing. We should be focusing on anything that's interesting in here. Well, is Jesus talking about the last part of verse three tells us income I'm going to do what he goes. The was fishing okay list for sure start about fish and personality debt.

That said, he was speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. I like to you. No one is like talking about that stuff.

I like talking about the kingdom alike talk about what God is doing in our lives and God is doing in this fellowship. The life lesson here is we should be talking about the Lord what the Lord is dying and what the Lord is doing in our lives and in our fellowship.

We should be talking about the Lord what the Lord is done. What the Lord is doing in our lives and in our fellowship.

One well because it should consumer conversation and ignite our lives. The scene should be exciting to us. A lot of times we sit around. We talk about various things and that's all good.

We need to be talking about the Lord.

We need to be talk about what God is doing in our lives and encouraging one another in this asking when a what Scott speaking to you right now what you what's the Holy Spirit you learn and write down the word of God when he struggling with and how can I pray for so many of you do this so awesome because we we hear tales of people in our government and there's here. We went to one's restaurant. We came in the start talking the waitress and she said Callie every week semi-from your church comes in here and invites us to charts of praise God talk about how exciting it is what you do when you when you get excited you find a good thing right in and also when you talk about the Lord. It gives you gives you the right perspective and the right out as you begin to realize you begin the gaze on heaven, and that Jesus rather than what's going on your little things in the line stinks so distracting. Sometimes will be right back with more from David Magee on cross the bridge right now. Here's a word from associate pastor DA Brown. Hey, want to pray for a few cities in our listening audience right now. Specifically, Seneca Falls Windsor, New York, and also Brown Summit Burlington Eden in Elizabeth city, North Carolina God, we thank you for the people tuning and right now the cities we pray that you would pour your Holy Spirit out on only pray for those who are not listening but who live in those cities got. I pray that they would trust in you Lord that they would hear your gospel and that they would say yes to Jesus we pray the people get plugged in Bible teaching churches.

Hello, we pray for those in leadership positions in the cities that you give them wisdom and discernment and they also look to your Bible for answers on how to lead Lord please bless see cities and may there be revival in Jesus name, amen, amen.

Thank you brother and now get back to David Magee as he continues teaching verse by verse ever sport and being assembled together with them, he commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the father, which he said you have heard from me now. There's a little phrase in here, like it says in being assembled together. Why is that important. Well we see in the latter part of the Gospels that they work together. You remember, Jesus showed up and Thomas wasn't there, and others were there either.

They were fractured they were scared they were afraid they were fearful for their lives. They were, they just work together again and these guys had just weathered the worst storm of their spiritual life they had seen their leader Jesus sightseeing crucified the singing that Minnelli teaming resurrected her back together. This was like the reunion tour that was going to change the world. As these guys got back together.

We need to be together as we experience the storms of life and not bail on one another but continue to encourage one another in the Lord. That's interesting. God is so unhuman.

What I mean by that is, think about this thing okay you are debt your life now. Your meeting with the apostles. What would be the first thing you would do.

I know the first thing I would do because I'm 10 torch organization and administrative stuff I would make a list.

I have a planning meeting I would have an agenda with bullet points on the whiteboard and okay go's, but what is God.

He tells them he says wait I love it. Don't do anything do not just sit what you would've done. I know it's not what I would but got very different than us.

He says way way do you recognize that the Lord's different seat and it's been said aptly that in the garden. We went from being human beings to human doings. The disciples asked Jesus a question John 628 then they said to him, what shall we do that we may work the works of God and Jesus answered and said to them, this is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he sent this is interesting.

Actually, I do juices believe start their start. That's where it starts and then you wait you wait on the Lord is another interesting passage and in Romans and and I like the way that the King James phrases this. Romans chapter 12 verse five says so we, being many, are one body in Christ and everyone members one of another.

Having the gifts according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith or ministry, let us wait on our ministering or even teachers on teaching or he that exhorts an expectation he that gives let them do it with simplicity either rules. With diligence he that shows mercy, with cheerfulness eccentric because it goes to list together since his Savior give her again. If you do this if you incurred your guide and encourage appearing ministry sit way I don't get me wrong, I believe we all need to be doing things for the kingdom, but it needs to start from a place of rest. Years ago, as we are traveling around and found myself out of the Calvary Chapel Bible college in California I would teach there some on Sunday night and do music and stuff and so we were there and there was still a lot of construction around their Internet site Offering to help a young need some help doing as you need some help and and they kept saying no no you must think I can't do it.

You the guy thing. I got and finally one of the guys that was a lonely leaders are says you don't get it sweet, he said we want to blush. Which one of question God's grace wants to be extended torture. So go study go how charities different churches, but when you're here. This is a place of rest. Thank you Lord to see why we should be doing things we should be doing those things from the place of rest knowing that our sense have been forgiven, why because we've asked for them to be forgiven. Verse five. Jesus continues and sister.

John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now, Holy Spirit. You know, no part of the Trinity suffers from as much bad teaching is the Holy Spirit. And here's the reason people bring their emotions. They bring their conjectures. They bring their experiences they bring what they've been told by church leadership that has nothing to do with the Bible and what we want to do this morning and throughout this book is cyclical clarity to what you know and believe about the Holy Spirit. How I would dare to say there's probably not a single person in here who is not suffered under some type of bad teaching poor teaching or just avoiding the subject altogether of the Holy Spirit to what we have to do is paste what we believe on the Bible sounds simplistic I know but it's very important for us to do in all areas, but especially in the area of the holy spirit can we agree to do that, that we will look to the Bible alone to learn about the Holy Spirit. Can we agree to that. We should base our beliefs about the Holy Spirit on the Bible alone and no have a television I watch it sometime. I have seen some of the same stuff that you sing a been in churches that misrepresented God misrepresented the Holy Spirit and I've cringed out, shrank back and not been the churches that I didn't feel good about invite anybody to because of some of the stuff that was going. I'm not sure why was there. See here's the thing guys if you can sit here this morning that we know this whole doctrine of the Holy Spirit. I've just seen some stuff that makes me afraid yet me to this whole doctrine of the Holy Spirit are seen some people that have done some really weird things yet me to because you know you understand that some people use those types of arguments to reject Jesus and Christianity as they say why you know, I know Christian once he was kind of weird yet new one or two as well but do I reject Jesus died, reject salvation, and that whole thing while because I met one weird person. Along the way.

Now you can't do that with the Holy Spirit and it's interesting because this is probably one of the things that more it divides evangelical Christianity more than any other subject. I think once you figure out some I believe is invalid. You know that the words infallible.

You know that they believe salvation through Jesus alone invariably it moves right to the Holy Spirit, will you believe thatwhat can we argue about how sad that is because were told in Ephesians 43 always keep yourself united in the Holy Spirit and find yourselves together with peace. So as we talk about the Holy Spirit as we listen to the Bible about the Holy Spirit understand what he may not agree on everything and you and that's okay. We may not agree on all the particulars, but we do need to agree on what the source is for what we believe now understand even as we get to get more and more in details into this is the book but we can believe different things about the Holy Spirit and still fellowship together. If you're here this morning and you don't believe that Jesus was the son of God, and you don't think Jesus is the only way to heaven and you do not believe that Jesus died for your sins.

If you don't believe that. Yet you don't come to that belief. After length of time. This probably is not the church for nothing.

You have to believe that this morning because I know some of you probably don't and you are are welcome and honored guest.

But over time you don't come to believe these things work were just never go see the list not sink down in the deep dark arguments about issues that people been disagreeing on prolonged verse six. Therefore, when they had come together, they asked and say Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel, the disciples they just encourage us at every turn. Don't that I mean here they are. After three years of intensive training. They've seen the crucifixion they sing the resurrection, and there still missing NASA question. Are you going to restore Israel now overthrow the Roman government.

Don't miss this. They had been with Jesus and spent all this time with Jesus, but even after these intensive training of three years.

They still didn't know what Jesus was doing. That should encourage you because you know I don't know what Jesus is doing sometimes make scary because you know it is doing all times of the I'm sorry I don't mean reveal some things to me in and quickens my heart about stuff and stirs my heart about stuff and you know a lot of times I'll step out and stick my neck out and and got a blessed summation what he's doing here so many times we think God I want you to use my life. But here's what I need I need Lord, a three-year five-year tenure point need to spell it out. Eight is a tell me what you going to tell me what you require me to tell me all these innocent God is not bright like this. I remember early on in the church and in projecting out and planning and doing things. Accordingly, by member we been in the ministry for like a year to the church at the start of we were just trying to hold on for dear life. You know, and then some guy came in. He said what your five-year plan. I probably shouldn't of last she made some answer brother were just watching God were at some point we need to begin planning and were in that space in our planning out doing things praying about things, but if you've ever found yourself in the place where you're not sure what Jesus is doing okay she because nowhere in this book does is saying they were supposed understand all things, the life lessons were not told to understand all things, but to give thanks in all things were not told to understand all things, but to give thanks in all things.

Now I understand you're probably like me in some ways you want to know everything you think you don't want to know everything I have come to the point.

I don't want to know everything because there's things I need to know there's things that you don't need to know you were not wired and created to know everything that your brain can hold everything to be okay with it because a lot of times this can cause a lot of discontent in our minds while we don't we don't know some but there is this curiosity and is right me to mind.

This St. mentioned that they don't know what happened was he doing she don't hear about more engaged.

Do we need to know.

Probably not friend you know for sure that your sins have been forgiven. You can know right now only Legion a short simple prayer simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him. Please pray this prayer with me out loud right now. Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me that I could be forgiven and I believe you were raised from the dead that I could have a new life not done wrong things I have sent and I'm sorry. Please forgive me of all those things. Please give me the power to live for you. All of my days in Jesus name, amen friend of you prayed that prayer according to the Bible. You've been forgiven you've been born again, congratulations Springer just made the greatest decision that you will ever make. God bless you, if you pray that prayer with David for the first time we'd love to hear from you. You can visit cross the bridge.com to receive our first steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ. Or you can write to cross the bridge at PO Box 12, 515 Winston-Salem, NC 27117 and share how God is working in your life you're the Bible tells us that the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord. But it does cost for us to come and bring that message to you and to others in your neighborhood through radio through the Internet and through the mobile technologies that God has gifted us to be able to use so if you like to support this ministry.

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Thank you so much ODA before we go. What are some ways that we can bless our listeners each day.

You can wake up with encouragement from Pastor David to the word of God with his email devotional life lessons to consider daily reading plan and thought to meditate on throughout your day. From the heart. David McGee those are terrific and it's easy and it's free so folks sign up today@crossthebridge.com. Thanks again for listening and join us next time. As David McGee continues teaching verse by verse in the book of acts