Acts Chapter 2:1-5

At the Passover Jesus was crucified, according to God's plan is a beautiful part of that plan is Catholic. There was people from all over the world that were there for the crucifixion. It wasn't man's plan to crucified Jesus a passive matter fact you may remember the verse in the Jewish leaders said let's not do it during the feast. The people will will cause a riot in the lesson wait until the feast is over so you actually set the timeline for the crucifixion, Jesus himself. Jesus was in control the whole time. You may remember, in the upper room.

Jesus turned to Judas and he said they were talking about the betrayal in any setback that you do is newest quickly welcome to cross the bridge with David McGee.

David is the senior pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina have a few questions for you today. You know the biblical feasts and you ask the Holy Spirit to fill you daily and we have as a guest today DA Brown, one of the McGee's associate pastors welcome DA play bottom excited to learn more about the biblical fees to have heard some snippets of this teaching a class and David personally. It's very interesting how in the middle of the Jewish feast. We recognize that we are invited to be a part of it, even if were not Jewish. In these fees appointments directly to Jesus. It's something interesting I think everyone listening would love to hear sounds good brother and now here's David McGee with his teaching on the Holy Spirit. We are going through the book of acts were in acts chapter 2 took a few weeks with acts chapter 1 were going to take a few weeks with acts chapter 2 as well because there's so much content in here just theological statements that we need to understand wherein a portion of Scripture that some people are very uncomfortable with. But, you know, since we go verse by verse restarted with Matthew 11 were going through so were not skipping anything. A lot of people probably would avoid this passage, but because I have some stuff that some people are uncomfortable. Weather may not understand acts chapter 2 verse one is when the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. Now what we want to do first is it mentions the day of Pentecost and some of you probably think will one is that it started. I guess here and in acts chapter 2. Some of you have heard of the day of Pentecost and think that it started right there. After the death and the resurrection of Jesus, but not so the day of Pentecost was referring to a Jewish feast. Now it's interesting the Lord gave us seven feast in the Hebrew Scriptures in the Old Testament that we were to know about and celebrate. Actually, nowhere does he say quit celebrating these at any certain time. Now, obviously were not under the law are under grace.

So there is not the same emphasis on these fees but it it's a shame that we don't understand these feast and the relevance that they have for us today, and I wonder.

I wonder if we took a poll right now who in this room could stand up and name and I'm not going ask you to do this but who in this room could stand up and name all seven of the biblical feast and yet this is basic really Christianity 101, from our Jewish roots. Now if you're taking notes, or maybe even if you're not taking notes. Find the pen and find a piece of paper and jot these seven feast down you will be quizzed at the end of the service today. Here's the seven feast Passover, unleavened bread, the feast of firstfruits Pentecost which is also referred to as the feast of weeks are shop boot Rosh Hashanah, the feast of trumpets, which is the Jewish new year. Yom Kippur, which is the day of atonement and Sue call which is the feast of booze or tabernacles. Some of these you may notice have more than one biblical name and I can get kinda confusing, especially because Pentecost sometimes is referred to as firstfruits, as well, and I explained that a little more today so those of the seven feast. Now that there's an interesting distinction between these two feast and that there's spring feast and then there's fall feast. Now it's not spring fall is we think of spring fall to its little different calendar, but they divide up this way, the spring feast or Passover, unleavened bread, feast of firstfruits, and Pentecost. Now that's important because these four feast.

These spring feast if you will have all had the biblical fulfillment. Here's what I mean by that Passover, which started in Egypt you remember is when they marked the doorpost and the angel of death passed over that house. That was a picture or eight type. Remember, they took the blood of the lamb and put it on the doorpost that was symbolic of the Lamb of God that was common. Remember the John the Baptist introduced Jesus by saying, behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. If you are Jewish man or woman standing there at that moment. You understood the reference that he was making to the Passover lamb, so the Passover when we know that Jesus died on the Passover.

So that's been so filled with the death of Jesus with the Passover lamb. The unleavened bread speaks about Jesus being without sin, without leaven leavens.

Always a picture of sin. Always a picture sin in the Bible you know the parables are sitting there going will know actually there's one parable and there is is the kingdom of God is like until I have been in it. Leavens the whole thing and so that's a good thing. Notes and I don't have time to go into that parable but it's not a good thing it saying that evil and sin will come in to the church body and then if your member talks about the fowls of the air and stuff but I'm I digress. And then the feast of firstfruits was the day that Jesus was resurrected, so we have the fulfillment of the feast of firstfruits in the resurrection of Jesus to remember in first Corinthians, it says that Jesus who was the firstfruits of the resurrection. We have the fulfillment of firstfruits in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Now I can go completely into the feast this morning, but I want to give you some of this information. If you want some more. Would you go to the website. Leviticus 23, which goes through seven feast. So these spring feast have been fulfilled. None of the fall feast of benefit in have been fulfilled in the biblical fulfillment. Okay, so those four have been fulfilled of the spring feast.

The fall feast have yet to have their biblical fulfillment can become important as we go through here and we talk a little bit more about Pentecost. So there is feast primer if you will Morgan talk more about Pentecost in the now. It mentions that there are all with one accord doesn't mean that they agreed on everything now it doesn't mean they all dressed alike doesn't doesn't mean that they all looked similar know enough doesn't mean that they were united in purpose and willing to overlook their differences to reach out to a lost and dying world absolutely they were willing to do that, you know what we should be willing to do the same.

We got into this thing where we think Christian is supposed to look a certain way act a certain way and like us particular style of music so it takes a lot of variety to make up the body of Christ as part of the power that's part of the power because you know what there's people here that are uniquely gifted and qualified to minister to other people out there out. Perhaps your businessman. You know what you are uniquely qualified to minister to other businessmen maybe in your past, you you've struggled with drugs and alcohol and you've been set free from that. Guess what, you are uniquely qualified to minister to semi the struggles with that now suits in all something that has the body of Christ grows in bonds together that we become more able and more strength into minister other people about two of these feast were technically the feast of firstfruits that was the feast of firstfruits that was the earlier harvest the barley harvest. The day of Pentecost was a another firstfruits feast, but it was the wheat harvest now okay sure were saying, firstfruits, and you're not sure what that is what they would do this before they would harvest the barley or the wheat for themselves, they would take attempt of it and take it to the temple before they ever enjoyed her a any of it is the firstfruits were supposed to give the firstfruits to the Lord. Now verse two and suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind and filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues as of fire, and one sat upon each of them there some obviously Simpson supernatural stuff going on. I guess Johnny Carson was at some work stuff action while really wacky things are there recorded for us in the Bible right here so what does it mean what what in the world's going on well me 21st of the Holy Spirit is often symbolized in one of three ways in the Bible. Fire, water and wind you see that a lot.

You'll see the Holy Spirit symbolized in the water, fire, and wind.

And so here we see these tongues of fire if you will appearing on each one of them harvest like this is a supernatural thing. This is a supernatural book. We need to understand that there's things in the air that make you scratch your head.

There's things in here that might make you uncomfortable sometimes and you want I think God intended that way. You see when you go to this booking and you see it, it talks about blind people seeing and laying people walking and deaf people here and mute people speaking and dead people coming back to life supernatural stuff. And I think because the church in part has put a disclaimer on all that supernatural. Many people have come to the church looking for the supernatural power have not found and then they got involved in in Satanism in witchcraft and in the other side of the supernatural power. So whether were comfortable with it or not is really not the issue has nothing to do with it. The reality is it's in the book and we have to look at what is being said and figure out what is talking about will be right back with more from David McGee on cross the bridge right now.

Here's a word from associate pastor DA Brown.

We want to take just a couple minutes to pray for some cities in our listening audience.

Specifically, Inca high point Lexington Mount Olive Summerfield in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and also Dickinson, North Dakota Louis, thank you for everyone who lives in the cities.

We pray that your Holy Spirit would draw them, unto you, even right now that people would have the face to say yes with no boundaries on what you want to do in your life. We pray for the leaders in the cities that you will give them wisdom and discernment and that they would work together father that they would look to your word for answers supernaturally on how to lead where you've called them. We pray that people get plugged in the churches I begin to serve with the gifts that you give them father that they will be a blessing to other people in the same way that you bless them low, we thank you for the cities were expecting you to do great things and it's in Jesus name we pray. Amen, amen. Thank you brother and now get back to David McGee as he continues teaching verse by verse, verse four says, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Now, the issue of tongues and it's interesting is one of the most divisive issues in evangelical Christianity.

There is a group that says tolerance are bad or demonic. They are no longer that gift of the Holy Spirit as a matter fact Holy Spirit doesn't give gifts anymore. The whole ministry is changed then there is the other side that says you're not saved in less you speak with these other tongues now what we want to do here is have a biblical balance of these things now. From this verse we can see a couple things number one the gift of tongues was from God. More specifically, it was from the Holy Spirit.

If you and argue with that verse and go to the warden and argue with him about it, but that is what diverse now part of what we need to figure out is how that relates to the church today and will probably come up cover some of that today will probably cover more of it towards the end of the chapter when Peter comes back to talking more about the Holy Spirit, by what you know something else.

This gift that they had at this time it was not used initially way.

It was not used, and in some wacky circus type atmosphere. Although it was obviously a supernatural gift now we see that God did this to Holy Spirit, fill them and that they spoke in this time and will talk more about the first-generation church and a lot of people say what the gifts of the Holy Spirit are no longer for today working at were going to get into that, but I want to remember this, we are commanded to be filled with the spirit, or commanded.

Ephesians chapter 5 verse 18 says and do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation, but be filled with the spirit. Now we've been talking about this for several weeks and we covered another verse where Jesus said how much more with the heavenly father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask for him and any time you want to be filled with the spirit, you can ask the Lord to fill you with the spirit. It's a constant thing okay because you know what when it comes in terms of Holy Spirit instead of the theological terms of me put it like this you leak okay so you get filled with the Holy Spirit menu link and then the three got refilled with the Holy Spirit. So I believe there is an event subsequent art after salvation where you are filled with the spirit and also believe that the believer needs to constantly be asking the Lord to fill you with the Holy Spirit. So again, that's a biblical balance because this group that says the Holy Spirit no longer gives gifts they would say yes. You need to be filled every day with a Holy Spirit agree with this group over here would say well there's that one time event where your filled or baptized with the Holy Spirit and then that's it. While I agree with that event, but I disagree with the fact that there is an over emphasis on that one event you need to be filled every day a man I think. I mean we all should be able to agree on this stuff because it's right there in verse five and there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. Do you know why people from everywhere were in Jerusalem. God is very wise. Here's the thing we talked about the fees in three of those fees will biblically's terms Psalms feast.

In other words 3/7 feast that males were required from all over the world to go to Jerusalem for that face. So that's why at the day of Pentecost which was one of those three. You have the day of Pentecost or the feast of weeks where people required to be in Jerusalem yet unleavened bread which Passover kicks off the unleavened bread week and then so they would be there for that time and then the feast of boozer tabernacles. They would also be required to come to Jerusalem now. What's interesting is Passover and unleavened bread. I mentioned that at the Passover Jesus was crucified, according to God's plan is a beautiful part of that planets guess what the rich people from all over the world that were there for the crucifixion, according to God's plan. It wasn't man's plan to crucify Jesus the Passover is a matter fact you may remember the verse on the Jewish leaders said let's not do it during the feast of people will will cause an uproar cause a riot. They were worried about having arrived in… Wait until the feast is over. So who actually set the timeline for the crucifixion, Jesus himself. Jesus was in control the whole time. You may remember, in the upper room. Jesus turned to Judas and he said they were talking about the betrayal in any said that that you do is do us quickly and at that Judas went out went to the high priest and set up the ultimate betrayal of Jesus. Now couple more things about this Pentecost is called feast of weeks. It's called feast of weeks for an important reason from the day of firstfruits. It was 77, the day after the seven sevens know what I mean by that seven is an important biblical number. It was seven weeks 49 days 7×7 and it was the day after that which was the 50th day so 50 days after the day of firstfruits was the day of Pentecost. And so that put it on Sunday.

Now it's interesting because one of the things that happened on at the feast of weeks was instead of just unleavened bread like was used in every other feast.

There were two loads there was a unleavened loaf and there was a leavened loaf now 11 pictures of sin also can be used is buses Gentiles. It did not know God, that were separated by our sin, not even looking for God, combined into the church and that's what you see begin to happen at the feast of Pentecost that's going to be a few chapters before it goes out into the world now. Another interesting thing that they did during this feast is they read through the book of Ruth. Why did they read the book of Ruth. Well, for a number of reasons. Number one the book of Ruth talks about harvester talks about a Gentile coming into the kingdom. It talks about the lineage of Jesse David of Jesus to the whole book is connect so now 50 days later everybody is back in Jerusalem and the Lord picks that time for this occurrence that what is suggested and what possible personal relevance could it have for you today about the life lesson here. God's timing is always perfect. God's timing is always perfect man's timing again was to crucify Jesus not on the Passover God's plan was to crucified Jesus on the Passover, the disciples probably what it said will commit Holy Spirit sewing get on with doing this business and in the Lord said no way why because he had his perfect timing because 15 nation were about to hear what is to be the first gospel teaching after the resurrection of Jesus and from this place, they will fan out to all over the world. God's timing is perfect. Now when I say his timing is perfect. What I mean by that limiting what I don't mean I don't mean that God's timing is going to fit in with your time.

See because a lot of times we pray according to our timetable. Bentley, Lord, give me patience. Now that your timetable Lord give me this other job now give me this now. To me this new house now got what he doing God is much more interested in changing use in your circumstances and your situations and God will change you, then he'll change your circumstances and situations. According to his perfect timing so love when you can rest in this, that God knows what he's doing only River that will reject you know this guy goes to God because God is a true that a thousand years is like a data you would suggest said so like $1 million is like a dime to your something I guess.

Lord suggests as true must commence. It will work and I have a dime and God said, not today, tomorrow, God is on a timetable that is uniquely his. It's not ours. When you get in a moment where you feel out of rest or your bent out of shape than chances are you're not trusting in God's time tape is timetable is perfectly we see it here and that's the rub. When we get into those moments and we get out of rest because God is not operating on our timetable were not trusting in know it's difficult tend towards the same thing but you can trust the Lord. We often think was, not moving fast enough in our life.

Maybe we think he's moving too fast in our life we look at someone else and we think will God you're not changing them quick enough and we look at others and go what God are you changing them so quick. God is on his own timetable now the feast of weeks. Pentecost was always on the first day of the week always on a Sunday always because it came after the date of the first fruit which was the Shabbat, the Sabbath, which was the Saturday is when the Shabbat is wise and important astrolabe.

We have the resurrection, and you have the feast of weeks occurring on the first day of the week which was Sunday. That's important because if you watch Discovery Channel were The Learning Channel or the history Channel allow these people say it was under Constantine the church began to worship on Sunday is not true. It's not so do you understand that you know that the Discovery Channel history Channel or Joe.

All those are not infallible.

I have watched things that were blatantly misrepresented on those channels, but I think you know when they when they misrepresent things like that's not right, and I saw this misrepresented just last week that we all started worshiping the sun God, you know, under Constantine really did in the first day of the week was start right here going back to the resurrection. We need to understand the balance that out there was a deemphasis of the Jewish Sabbath and the Jewish feast under Constantine the reason that very few people in your new how to name all seven feast you can go back to the time of Constantine when he very intentionally began to separate Jewishness from Christianity and continue friend you know for sure that your sins have been forgiven. You can know right now own 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. If you prayed that prayer according to the Bible you've been forgiven you've been born again, congratulations for you 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 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'd like to support this ministry. Please go to cross the bridge.com. Click on the donate button and ask God how much he would have you give either on a one-time basis or continuing basis each month to help ensure that the teaching of God's word continues to go out through cross the bridge. 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 enough 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