Today’s reading takes us from the mountaintop to the pit in just a short couple of minutes. We read of the incredible nature of church life amongst the earliest Christians, while also seeing the most sobering situation imaginable.

Jerusalem was an economically volatile place to live, and over time it would be the ongoing situation that among the churches of the early Christian world, the Jerusalem church was the poorest. And collections would be sent from other churches to the mother church for the sustenance of this congregation.

But today we read about the ways by which the first Christians cared for each other and met the needs of the entire gathered group (called here by the word “church” for the first time). The people were of one heart and mind. This is every pastor’s dream for his flock – to see the whole body live together in a covenantal community with one another (a theme for a sermon series in the fall). Their common experience of life empowered by the Holy Spirit gave them a sense of unity and oneness that drove them to give to one another whatever was needed. Generosity abounded. Those who had more were quick to do whatever it would take to help – illustrated by some who sold lands and gave all the proceeds to the Apostles for distribution.

Clearly understand that this was not required – at least not beyond a sense of duty driven by love. There were no rules that stipulated the wealthier were to necessarily live in this fashion of cashing resources. So it is incorrect, as some state of this passage, that this is an example of communism.

An exemplary person in this community was a fellow named Joseph (called Barnabas, meaning “Son of Consolation,” because of his gracious concern and encouragement of other people). He sold a piece of property, giving all the collected resources (as did the others) to the Apostles to wisely distribute where needs were evident.

As we turn to chapter five (remember that chapter and verse divisions are not inspired), we see the first word – “But”.  A husband and wife named Ananias and Sapphira likewise sold a piece of land, apparently driven by a desire for the affirmation that came with this sort of generous deed, and not as a result of love and communal commitment. We again see that it was not necessary to have done this, but the way they did it was to conspire to collect the assets of the sale, presenting only a portion of it to the Apostles while giving the impression that it represented a 100% gift.

Both lied about the matter when confronted by Peter – who somehow knew, most likely by divine intervention of knowledge of some sort. And both died and were buried. I grant that it seems at first reading to be an extremely harsh judgment, but God was establishing a principle both within and without the community that sin is serious … that sin will be judged. The effect upon everyone is mentioned twice – that a sober fear fell upon the people.

There are lessons for us for today. There is nothing quite so wonderful as a community that lives together in oneness of heart and compassion and support for one another. It was not like today where in a town filled with varied churches one can flip back and forth to fulfill personal preferences. There was but one body, and they were mutually committed to one another – living in a sort of covenant community relationship that needs to be recovered in the 21^st century church.  And secondly, sin is a big deal; and the church is not about any one of us, it is about God. The church is not about personal affirmation, but is rather about serving in a way to promote and build the kingdom of God.

The Believers Share Their Possessions – Acts 4:32—5:11

³² All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. ³³ With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all ³⁴ that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales ³⁵ and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.

³⁶ Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”), ³⁷ sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.

Ananias and Sapphira

5 Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. ² With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet.

³ Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? ⁴ Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.”

⁵ When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. ⁶ Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.

⁷ About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. ⁸ Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?”

“Yes,” she said, “that is the price.”

⁹ Peter said to her, “How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.”

¹⁰ At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband. ¹¹ Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.

Peter and John had handled themselves extremely well before the authorities – all in the power of the Holy Spirit as they were surely given the words to speak. At the same time, it must have been a frightening experience. You’ll be glad to know that I’ve never spent the night in jail, but I would have to imagine it is a scary thing to do.

Being released from the hands of the religious leadership, the dynamic duo returned “to their own people.”  Featured among the conversation with this “insider” group of the early believers of the church was the rehearsal for them of the severe threats given if they continued to preach in the name of Christ.

The stark nature of the dilemma was this:  They had to obey God’s command as his witnesses of the truth of Jesus Christ and the resurrection, yet to do so would put them in the crosshairs of angry people with the power to even kill them. These chief priest and elders were the same bad boys who maneuvered to get Jesus onto the cross less than two months earlier.

So, in a situation like this, what does one do? They turned to their first impulse – to pray. Here are the essential points of their prayers:

–          God, you made everything, so you are the top authority…

–          God, you taught us through the prophets that the rulers of this world would hate the Messiah and work against him in every way…

–          God, we did indeed witness how the people in this very city did conspire against Christ…

–          God, we know that this was only done and allowed by your grand plan…

–          But God, you’ve heard what they have threatened and how it is pretty clear that they don’t like us one little bit…

–          So God, we need boldness that only you can give, in order to accomplish deeds that can only be done through you working through us in powerful ways.

And we see that God blessed that prayer, and affirmed them with the shaking of the house.

The preaching of the Gospel will always be a fearful situation in the context of a world that (in the natural condition of condemnation of sin and alienation from God) hates Jesus Christ and often the people of his name. We are a minority by holding on to a biblical worldview – an oft despised minority as well. We need power and boldness beyond ourselves, and we gain that through the first impulse of prayer.

The Believers Pray – Acts 4:23-31

²³ On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. ²⁴ When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. ²⁵ You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:

“‘Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? ²⁶ The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed one.’  ²⁷ Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. ²⁸ They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. ²⁹ Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. ³⁰ Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

³¹ After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

In most of life’s ventures, when whatever we are seeking to do does not go swimmingly well, it is our first tendency to speculate that perhaps what we are doing is wrong … or we are using the wrong methods. A lack of success surely equals a lack of blessing. The presence of opponents, skeptics, naysayers, and even aggressively angry adversaries indicates that there is something wrong with the message or messenger, right? That seems to make sense.

But when it comes to the proclamation of the Gospel message of Christ, opposition is par for the course. Jesus said it would be like this – the people of the systems of this world persecuted him and they will persecute his followers as well.

Continuing on today with the story of the healing of the lame man (a fellow over age 40), Peter and John run into some serious opposition. Actually, the opposition ran into them, as the word used here describes a very sudden and unexpected action. The guys rushing upon them were the varied religious leaders of the day along with the virtual temple police force. The size and clamoring of the crowd had obviously attracted their attention. You can almost read between the lines and hear them saying, “Oh no, it’s this crazy Jesus/resurrection stuff going on again.

So Peter and John are thrown into prison in order to be dealt with the next day. But Luke makes it clear that this imprisonment did not squash the effects of the preaching, as the number of followers (counting the men only) had grown now to about 5,000.

The next day they appear before the semi-circle-seated Sanhedrin – a group of the top 71 religious leaders in Jerusalem, along with other experts gathered all around them. They demand to know the power behind this miracle – not that they wanted to rejoice in it, but rather that they may negate it in every way possible so as to hang onto their positions of authority. Ultimately, they cannot with political success really do much about it, since everyone has seen the obvious miracle that transpired. All they could effectively hope to do is threaten these men to no longer speak in this name of Jesus the Resurrection. This threat (and others not delineated) served as warnings and the legal basis for any subsequent actions.

Do you expect opposition to your Christian life, values, and witness? Or are you rather astounded that God allows it to happen to you? Frankly, we should expect it; we should not be surprised by opposition when serving God. On this matter of serving, a friend of mine gave me a book that he wrote about being faithful in the face of opposition. A passage that has oft run through my mind is where he said:  “This matter of calling is important to all believers. I, like Jeremiah, was a ‘reluctant prophet.’  God fingered me to serve him when I was planning to do other things. In return, I had no alternative but to consent to do his bidding. How peculiar this God who calls hesitant preachers and then complicates their work beyond belief! One would expect the vineyard owner to give his workers the easiest of paths since they are only trying to obey him.”

No, God puts us in difficult places that are beyond us and above us, in order that in our weakness his strength may be all the more clear. And it is through that opposition that God does his work of kingdom addition. We should expect it, and we should move ahead faithfully.

Peter and John before the Sanhedrin (Acts 4:1-22)

4 The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. ² They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. ³ They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. ⁴ But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand.

⁵ The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. ⁶ Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and others of the high priest’s family. ⁷ They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”

⁸ Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! ⁹ If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, ¹⁰ then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. ¹¹ Jesus is “‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’               

¹² Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

¹³ When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. ¹⁴ But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say.¹⁵ So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. ¹⁶ “What are we going to do with these men?” they asked. “Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed a notable sign, and we cannot deny it. ¹⁷ But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.”

¹⁸ Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. ¹⁹ But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! ²⁰ As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

²¹ After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened. ²² For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.

For the second time in Acts we see Peter taking the lead in an incredibly bold fashion. Here is the same guy who denied knowing Christ just two months earlier! He is in a most public of places, preaching a message that is nothing short of an “in your face” sermon telling people that they had certainly better repent.

The miracle in the temple of the lame man walking and hanging onto Peter and John created quite a spectacle, as people came rushing to see what had happened. It was in a location of the temple known as Solomon’s Colonnade, or the Portico of Solomon – a series of columns on the east side that afforded a public place of gathering for even a sizeable group.

Peter realizes that the people are looking at him as if he had some magical power, and he immediately deflects that errant conclusion by pointing rather to the name of Jesus as the source of the healing. He identifies Christ as the “servant” – connecting Jesus to the suffering servant Scripture of Isaiah 53.

And Peter then takes off on a very harsh indictment of these Jewish listeners … “YOU handed him over, YOU disowned him, YOU killed the author of life!”  You will recall that Pilate was ready to release Jesus, having found no fault in him; but it was the cry of the crowd for a murderer instead to be released. The nation was guilty – complicit in hanging their own Messiah on a Roman cross. They blew it!

BUT, Peter softens the tone, telling them that he understands they did this in ignorance as those who did not know the Scriptures. The prophets over the years were clear, as they had predicted the coming of a Messiah who would suffer. And through this, the greater plan of God would be accomplished of a savior for the world. God’s heart for the world is evident in the final verses of this chapter where the covenant with Abraham is mentioned – a promise from God that not only had ramifications first for the nation of Israel, but more largely spoke of the universal blessings to accrue to all people.

The problem of their rejection was a big one! But the opportunity to repent from this error and trust in Jesus was bigger yet! It was not too late. If they would turn around (the meaning of repentance), they would experience a new time of refreshment of God’s blessing and acceptance.

When we think of preaching a message of repentance, we think too often of some whacky street preacher with a sandwich board, a loud voice, multi-colored hair, and the crazed look of a guy who just touched an electrical wire in a rainstorm! We might picture an activist sort of preacher confronting people at a gay rights rally or some other function – where the primary message being preached sounds more like judgmental condemnation rather than love, life, and forgiveness. And that is unfortunate, because the message of repentance is the best news out there. It is saying that, even though you’ve messed up in the most gargantuan ways, you can turn away from that and turn to God without fear that He is going to whack you big-time. Instead, He is going to be the father who welcomes you home. Repentance is a good thing … REPENT!

Peter Speaks to the Onlookers – Acts 3:11-26

¹¹ While the man held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade. ¹² When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? ¹³ The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. ¹⁴ You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. ¹⁵ You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. ¹⁶ By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.

¹⁷ “Now, fellow Israelites, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. ¹⁸ But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Messiah would suffer.¹⁹ Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, ²⁰ and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus. ²¹ Heaven must receive him until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets. ²² For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you. ²³ Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from their people.’

²⁴ “Indeed, beginning with Samuel, all the prophets who have spoken have foretold these days.²⁵ And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.’ ²⁶ When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.”

Something that was quite shocking on our recent trip to Europe was to see the horribly destitute condition of so many people who situated themselves as beggars upon the streets. Often they would position themselves upon their knees with faces down upon the pavement and arms and hands extended with a small cup containing a few coins. Totally pitiful!

But another feature was how these poor people would place themselves (or be placed by someone else) at strategic locations where thousands of people would daily pass by them. They were in the plaza of the Cathedral d’Notre Dame, outside the Vatican, on the streets leading to Versailles, and upon the famous walking bridges in Florence and Prague. At some junctures it was necessary to loop around them on the sidewalks.

Today we read about a fellow regularly positioned in such a strategic location – a man who was lame from birth. Fortunate to have some people who cared enough about him to help by carrying him, he was placed at the very busiest of gates into the Temple on a daily basis. Devote Jews would come to pray at the 9^th hour – about 3:00 in the afternoon. Surely it was difficult to take one’s conscience along to prayer and worship, having to almost trip over this poor creature along the way.

There was simply no way that one could be a regular to the temple without knowing about this guy and what he looked like. He was a “fixture” in Jerusalem.

As an expression of their commitment to prayer, Peter and John were coming into the temple and about to pass over this fellow. Somehow, Peter was moved to look at this man and speak to him toward giving him more than he was seeking – not just money, but an actual healing of his condition to demonstrate the power of God.

Was God interested in seeing this many healed? Well, yes… but the bigger reason was that it presented an opportunity for yet another display of signs and wonders – those unique demonstrations of God’s power that authenticated the messengers and the message being preached. The text reports that the masses of the people were amazed by this.

There was NO DENYING that a miracle had occurred! This situation sets up all the material in chapters three and four that we will read this week – as it leads to a sermon, to opposition and persecution, to God’s deliverance, and to a renewed prayer for boldness. And that last theme will be our topic as we next gather this coming Sunday.

This must have been an amazing new experience for Peter and John – fishing pals from back in Galilee who were called away from their boats by Andrew to follow this Messiah character around Israel. But Christ had promised them they would have greater experiences than catching fish (I know that imagining something better than fishing is a challenge for some folks!). And such was truly being fulfilled, as they are now catching others for the Kingdom.

We can be bold for Christ in our day and age. I don’t think it will often be through signs and wonders. But we do have the possession of the Holy Spirit within us, and we have God’s complete written Word that comes to us with a promise that it does not return empty. We simply need the boldness to use the tools we already have.

Peter Heals a Lame Beggar

3 One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. ² Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. ³ When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. ⁴ Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” ⁵ So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.

⁶ Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” ⁷ Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. ⁸ He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. ⁹ When all the people saw him walking and praising God, ¹⁰ they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

What are the things that we are supposed to be doing as followers of Christ – both individually and then corporately together as a church? Books have been written to attempt to answer that question.

There is no single Scripture that gives us the perfect answer. And among topics addressed are usually the fruit of the Spirit, the gifts of the Spirit, the “one another” passages of the New Testament, etc.

But we can find fewer paragraphs that combine so many ingredients as are found right here in our reading today in Acts 2:42-47. In the past when preaching on this passage, I remember entitling it “The Constituent Elements of the Church” … which is maybe a bit hyperbolic, but certainly not by much.

Consider the list:

1.  The Apostles’ Teaching – This must have been pretty amazing to hear. These guys would have been combining the Old Testament Scriptures, their three years of experiences of travelling with Jesus, along with their newly acquired empowerment of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Not bad! We all always need God’s Word and his truth.

2.  Fellowship – There is nothing quite like the camaraderie of relationship with others with whom you have shared an incredible experience. And we have that together even today in regard to our mutual salvation through the work of Christ … along with our common experiences of living together as friends in an oft hostile world.

3.  The Breaking of Bread – This was more than simply sharing meals together, as it would be speaking of the communion element of the church more formally gathered in reflection upon Christ.

4.  Prayer – This is, of course, why we are studying Acts, and once again we note immediately their absolute dependence upon God in prayer. The coming of the Spirit did not change this. It did not move them into any new place of now not needing to be constant in prayer and communication with God.

5.  Signs and Wonders – Though some in evangelical circles would disagree with me at this point and contend for the validity of such in our day, I do not think it is normative (though God can and does do miraculous things on occasion). I believe these were unique to the time before the completion of the Scriptures – which now give us authority validating the message and messenger in a way previously done by signs and wonders (See Hebrews 2:1-4).

6.  Generous Mutual Support of Needs – The application of this Scripture is that we should be quick to support one another in times of need, not that we should live in a communal fashion. We should see that indeed all we have has come from God, along with a concomitant responsibility to use it as a blessing for others.

7.  Togetherness – Another way of speaking of the fellowship of the church, these early believers shared so much more than simply their religious lives. Some of this was necessitated by the unique circumstances of many of them being from beyond Jerusalem, but we should not lose the proper emphasis upon the community experience being enjoyed.

8.  A Visible Public Presence – They did not pull away from the Temple nor from the view of those who had so recently put Christ on a Roman cross! They did not shy away from the perverse surrounding world, but rather engaged it with the truth of the Gospel.

9.  Worship – They were regularly in awe of all that was happening about them and expressed that in their reverent worship from sincere hearts. All of this was very attractive to the world around, not repulsive.

10.  Evangelistic Growth – We see the work of God in that HE is the one adding to their numbers. Yes, I’m sure they were working hard at it; but as always, it is God who gives the increase.

It would be a good exercise for any of us to go down the list and check it twice to see if we are naughty or nice in applying it in our lives – as individuals and as a church family together.

The Fellowship of the Believers – Acts 2:42-47

⁴² They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. ⁴³ Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.⁴⁴ All the believers were together and had everything in common. ⁴⁵ They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. ⁴⁶ Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,⁴⁷ praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

If any of you think my sermons are sometimes very theological and difficult to follow, consider this first sermon of Peter! Of course, if he had homiletics in a modern seminary classroom and was told to keep it simple and work hard on application rather than all that nasty theological detail, it could have been better. I jest, of course!

First, the simple fact that Peter is standing in front of thousands of people in a public place is testimony of a great change of life brought about by the work of the Spirit. Only in this way could a simple fisherman command the attention of multitudes in the very center of the Jewish faith – in Jerusalem, likely in the Temple itself.

Peter first makes it clear that those receiving the indwelling of the Holy Spirit were not drunk – since the first meal of the day in that culture happened at 10:00 in the morning, an hour after these events were occurring … so that suggestion was ludicrous.

What was happening was the fulfillment of the words the prophet Joel had spoken hundreds of years earlier. In the last days (begun on this day and in which we continue to live 2,000 years later) there would be a pouring rain of the Spirit (using an agricultural metaphor) and not simply an occasional shower of the Spirit empowering only certain people in limited instances (as was the pattern in the Old Testament). Now, as the Church is born and this new age of grace abounding is initiated, all who come to God and are united with him are granted the presence of God within them in the form of the Holy Spirit.

Though Peter will twice tell these Jews that they participated in the killing of the Messiah, he also makes it clear that all of this transpired in the deliberate plan and foreknowledge of God. That is so significant to understand. In no way was God surprised or forced into a “Plan B” because the Jews rejected their King and the Kingdom. No, God rather had it all orchestrated so that the salvation of all mankind might be accomplished, leading to the universal proclamation of this saving truth.

David had prophesied this, as Peter again quotes the Old Testament from Psalm 16. There, David – a man with a promise from God that his family would forever reign – speaks in the first person of a protection from death and decay. And Peter says that David could not be talking of himself, because David had died and everyone knew of his tomb. He must be talking prophetically of someone from his family lineage – of Jesus, who was witnessed to have been crucified, risen again, and ascended to heaven.

Upon hearing this, the multitudes in a panic understand that they have missed their Messiah … what are they now to do? And the message is the timeless answer of repentance before God for forgiveness of sins. This message was for them, for their children’s generation, and in fact for ALL people near and far. About 3,000 responded that day!

The timeless nature of the message is seen in the appeal that they should repent and thereby save themselves from their corrupt (literally “crooked”) generation. So, given events in our country in recent days where everything righteous and evil seems upside-down and backwards, do we not live in a crooked time? The remedy is the same – to trust in God’s provision of life through the work of Jesus Christ … and to be his ambassadors to make that message known to a lost and messed-up world.

Peter Addresses the Crowd

¹⁴ Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. ¹⁵ These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! ¹⁶ No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

¹⁷ “‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. ¹⁸ Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.

¹⁹ I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. ²⁰ The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. ²¹ And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’

²² “Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. ²³ This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. ²⁴ But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.²⁵ David said about him:

“‘I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. ²⁶ Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest in hope, ²⁷ because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, you will not let your holy one see decay. ²⁸ You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.’

²⁹ “Fellow Israelites, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. ³⁰ But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. ³¹ Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay. ³² God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. ³³ Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. ³⁴ For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, “‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand ³⁵ until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”’

³⁶ “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”

³⁷ When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

³⁸ Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

⁴⁰ With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” ⁴¹ Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

(Today’s Reading – Acts 2:1-13)

In biblical times, if you were a really good and faithful follower of the Hebrew faith and Scripture (e.g. Deuteronomy 16), there were three pilgrimage festivals where you would make the effort to be in Jerusalem. The city would swell with multitudes of people from around the ancient world.

Jesus Christ was the Passover Lamb – who gave his life at the time of that first great Feast of Unleavened Bread when the city was filled with visitors. You may remember that the Romans hastened the death of the two thieves crucified with Christ because of the Sabbath associated with this event (John 19:31-33).

Pentecost – meaning 50 days later – marked another festival also called “The Feast of Weeks” or “Harvest” or “First-Fruits.”  (The Feast of Tabernacles – several months later – was the third pilgrimage festival.)  Pentecost came at the time of the first-fruits of the wheat harvest. This was a time of gathering to worship God and come before Him in gratitude for his provision.

The Day of Pentecost is the birthday of the institution (or program) of the Church – the bride of Christ. The new coming of the Spirit to indwell the Apostolic company marks the first-fruits of those who will respond to the Gospel message. This is a harvest that would bear fruit all around the world – continuing to our own day. So it is appropriate that the fruit of Christ’s work of salvation would come on Pentecost – as we remember Jesus saying (John 4:35), “I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.” And the Apostle Paul calls Jesus the first-fruits of the resurrection to life: “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep.”

The results of the filling of the Spirit are truly dramatic. As on the occasion of the baptism of Jesus, there are sights and sounds that accompany this initiation of these first believers into the universal Church. It occurs apparently at the house where they were staying, though some believe this refers to the Temple; but in any event, it is dramatic and noticed by the crowds of people. The entire issue of speaking in tongues and how that does or does not apply to our age is a long discussion for another time and venue, but it is clear on this occasion that the tongues are known languages recognized by a large variety of people from around the ancient world. The sights and sounds drew attention to the speakers – who in turn were communicating the message of truth that God wanted the world to hear.

It is humorous to note from this passage that a large part of the amazement of the crowds of people is that they were hearing their own languages spoken by uneducated Galileans! Remember how Peter was identified as a Galilean during his denials of Christ, simply by the accent of his speech? Galileans had a sort of “clipped” way of speaking and pronunciation – maybe sort of like the folks you see on the show “Swamp People!” … or similar to a “Cajun” accent. Whatever, they were not known as scholars! And here they are speaking clearly in other languages apparently in a way they could not even accomplish in their own dialect!

God really has a great marketing plan here!  He has this happening on a time when multitudes are in the city, on a symbolism-enriched occasion, accompanied by miraculous sights and sounds, and with a message being communicated by people who could only do it if God were speaking through them.

Even so, there were scoffers. There will always be scoffers! Our role is to plant the seeds of the harvest and watch God give the increase through his Spirit working through us and through our teaching of the Word.

The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost – Acts 2:1-13

2 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. ² Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.³ They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. ⁴ All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tonguesas the Spirit enabled them.

⁵ Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. ⁶ When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. ⁷ Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? ⁸ Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? ⁹ Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, ¹⁰ Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome ¹¹ (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” ¹² Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”

¹³ Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”

< If you are just beginning to read this series with this post today, you might want to look at the online web page www.ImpulseTSF.org for two background writings that will help you understand this series and the book of Acts. >

Incredible Change

They had dropped everything to follow this guy Jesus around Palestine. They saw incredible things – healings and all sorts of miracles, and crowds of people. What a pinnacle moment it must have been to see their teacher riding into Jerusalem and hailed with the shouts of “Hosanna!”

But in less than a week’s time, that had all come crashing down. They saw him die on a Roman cross. Peter appears to be the biggest loser of the crew – cursing in denial of knowing the one whom he had previously called “the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”  But back off on being too hard on him, as none of the rest were even close enough to possibly commit such a failure.

But sorrow had turned to unbelievable joy. Jesus had risen. He appeared to them intermittently over a period of 40 days – not as some sort of ghost or spirit, but in his resurrected flesh, even eating with them. Jesus taught them much about the entire idea of the kingdom of God. So many of the confusing events and teachings over the past three years of the earthly ministry of Christ were now being clarified in new ways.

But what was next? Where were they to go? Would Jesus continue with them? Even during the time before these amazing events he had said to them that he was going away … that he would send the Spirit, not just to be with them as he was, but to actually reside IN them. And now, one day while eating together, Jesus said they should stay in Jerusalem until the gift of the promised Holy Spirit would come upon them.

But what about the Kingdom promised to the nation of Israel? Would it be restored at that time? Jesus did not rebuke them for asking a dumb question! It was simply not for them to know or be concerned about the time of such, though it would yet happen. Rather, Jesus gave them the command to be his witnesses, bearing testimony of all they had seen and been taught, beginning there in Jerusalem and then moving out to the whole world.

So, if you were Jesus, would you trust this mission to a bunch of guys who had so recently abandoned you at the most needful hour? I know; it is hard to think like Jesus! But here is the difference: at the end of their period of waiting, they would be baptized by the Holy Spirit – giving them a power that was entirely different than their previous condition. And oh, what a difference it would make! In less than two months, they would go from cowering cowards, to bold witnesses in the visual presence of the most powerful people in society. They would change the world!

Jesus ascended into heaven, from which the announced promise was that he would return in like fashion … and we today yet wait for that return, and we therefore have the same mission as given to those disciples in verse eight. That verse serves as the key sentence that essentially outlines what the book Acts is all about – the witness of the apostles and early believers as through them, empowered by the Spirit, the message of the Gospel would spread from Jerusalem, to the surrounding area of Judea, to the next areas beyond (like Samaria), and ultimately to the ends of the earth.

We call this The Great Commission … and it remains our commission as a church. We want to likewise be faithful locally, to our region and state, throughout our country, and unto the ends of the earth. As a church, we support varied ministries that represent all of these places. At TSF last week we sought to be a blessing to our area by hosting the FCA sports camp, and on Sunday we heard the report of our recent eight-member missions team to Kazakhstan – truly the uttermost part of the earth!

The power is in the work of the Spirit through us; it is not in our flesh or strength. We are dependent upon God, and we express that dependence through prayer as we look to Him to use us by that power of His Spirit living in and through us.

Acts 1:1-11 … Jesus Taken Up Into Heaven

1 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach ² until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. ³ After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.⁴ On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. ⁵ For John baptized withwater, but in a few days you will be baptized withthe Holy Spirit.”

⁶ Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”

⁷ He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. ⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

⁹ After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

¹⁰ They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. ¹¹ “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

< If any of these posts are difficult to read on your device due to the format being scattered or too small, you can always click to go the web site and see the material there in its original form. >