Participants:
Series Code: SSH
Program Code: SSH021827A
|
00:35 Hello, friends, and welcome to Sabbath School Study Hour
00:37 here at Granite Bay Seventh-day Adventist Church. 00:39 I like to welcome our online members 00:41 and our friends joining us across the country 00:44 and around the world for our study time together, 00:47 and also to our members, and our visitors 00:49 right here at the Granite Bay Church. 00:50 Good to see you here this morning. 00:53 Very excited about what we'll begin this morning. 00:56 We're starting a new lesson courtly. 00:58 The theme is on the Book of Acts. 01:00 And so we're going to looking at lesson number one today. 01:03 All about the book of Acts, The Early Christian Church. 01:06 This morning, we'll be looking at lesson number one 01:09 that's entitled You Will Be My Witnesses. 01:12 And we'll get to that in a few moments. 01:14 But before we do, we do have a free offer. 01:15 We'd like to let our friends know who are watching 01:17 on Facebook and television, if you would like to receive 01:20 a free copy of the book The Holy Spirit The Need, 01:24 all you'll have to do is give us a call 01:25 on our resource phone line. 01:27 That number is 866-788-3966 01:31 and ask for offer number 723. 01:34 We'll be happy to send you the book 01:36 The Holy Spirit The Need. 01:37 Also for those who are watching on Facebook, 01:40 if you would like to get a digital download 01:42 of the book right away, 01:44 all you have to do is just text the code "SH099" 01:48 to the number 40544 01:52 and you'll be able to get a link to download for free 01:54 and read the book The Holy Spirit The Need. 01:58 Well, before we get to our study this morning, 02:00 as always, we like to begin by lifting our voices in song. 02:03 I'd like to invite the song leaders 02:04 to come forward. 02:07 We are going to sing with you like we do every week. 02:11 This is a beautiful song that you'll find in your hymnal 183, 02:17 I Will Sing of Jesus' Love. 02:19 And we're going to do all three stanzas. 02:22 I will sing of Jesus' love, 02:25 endless praise my heart shall give. 02:28 He has died that I might live, I will sing His love to me. 02:34 Join with us, 183. 04:57 Thank you so much for joining with us, 04:58 and at this time, Pastor Ross 05:00 is going to have our opening prayer. 05:08 Dear Father in heaven, what a privilege to be able 05:09 to gather to giving Your house 05:11 on this Your day this Sabbath, open up your Word 05:13 and read a very important passage 05:15 and look at some important principles 05:17 that we find in that first century church. 05:20 And we do pray that You'd guide 05:22 our study together this morning. 05:24 In Jesus' name. Amen. 05:25 Amen. 05:27 Well, as mentioned just a little earlier 05:28 in our introduction 05:29 for our Sabbath School this morning, 05:31 we're starting a brand new lesson 05:32 courtly today dealing with the Book of Acts. 05:35 The Book of Acts, of course, 05:36 is the very next book after the four gospels. 05:40 It describes the early Christian church, 05:42 and there's a number of important lessons 05:44 that we will find in our study through the Book of Acts. 05:48 As mentioned, our lesson today, lesson number one is entitled 05:51 You Will Be My Witnesses. 05:54 And that's going to be the theme of our study today. 05:57 A little bit of background that I think might be helpful 05:59 before we actually get into the lesson itself, 06:02 a little background about the Book of Acts. 06:05 We know where it is in the Bible. 06:06 It's after the four gospels, but what do we know about it? 06:09 The Book of Acts covers 06:10 basically three critical decades 06:13 in the early Christian church. 06:15 That time period began with the resurrection of Jesus 06:18 in A.D. 31 06:19 and goes all the way through to the first imprisonment 06:22 in Rome by the apostle Paul in A.D. 62. 06:26 So the Book of Acts is written sometime 06:28 after A.D. 62. 06:31 The Book of Acts does not specifically state 06:34 who the author is but church tradition 06:37 for many years has recognized 06:38 that the author of the Book of Acts is Luke, 06:41 the beloved physician, 06:43 which you can read about it in Colossians 4:14. 06:45 Luke was also a travel companion of Paul 06:48 on many of his missionary activities. 06:50 So he has a firsthand account of many of the things 06:53 that are happening in the story recorded in Acts. 06:57 Of course, Luke is also the author of the third gospel, 07:00 the one bearing his name, the gospel of Luke. 07:04 Now it is interesting when you look at 07:05 the first few verses in Luke chapter 1 07:08 as well as the first few verses in Acts chapter 1. 07:11 You'll notice some interesting similarities 07:14 which also gives us a big clue as to the author, 07:16 Luke being both the author of Acts and Luke. 07:19 Luke 1:1, it reads, 07:22 "Inasmuch as many have taken in hand 07:24 to set in order a narrative of these things 07:27 which have been fulfilled among us, 07:29 just as those who from the beginning 07:31 were eye witnesses 07:32 and ministers of the word delivered unto us. 07:35 It seemed good to me also having had perfect understand 07:39 in all things from the very first 07:41 to write to you an orderly account 07:43 most excellent Theophilus," 07:45 We'll talk about it in just a minute, 07:47 "That you might know the certainty of these things 07:50 which you were instructed." 07:52 So that's the beginning of the gospel of Luke 07:55 and the author which we believe to be Luke 07:57 is writing to someone by the name of Theophilus, 07:59 and he is telling him all about the life teachings 08:02 and ministry of Jesus. 08:05 And then if you look at the first few verses 08:07 of the Book of Acts, 08:08 you'll notice something similar. 08:10 Verse 1 says, "The former account I made, 08:13 "O Theophilus," Same person, 08:15 "Of all that Jesus began both to do and to teach 08:18 until the day in which He was taken up." 08:21 And then he goes onto talk about the ascension of Jesus 08:24 in Acts chapter 1 08:26 and how the gospel went out to the world 08:28 during those first centuries. 08:30 So we understand that Luke was both the author 08:32 of the gospel of Luke as well as the Book of Acts. 08:36 Who is Theophilus? 08:38 Well, not much is said about Theophilus other than 08:40 what we have in these two passages of scripture. 08:43 But the word Theophilus is a Greek name 08:46 which means friend of God. 08:48 And it is believed that Theophilus 08:50 was a Greek convert to Christianity 08:53 and also a very good friend of Luke. 08:56 Luke, of course, was also a gentile. 08:58 And so Luke writes both about the gospel of Jesus 09:02 and then also the formation of the first century church, 09:05 and he addresses it to his good friend Theophilus. 09:08 Now if you take the Book of Luke 09:10 as well as the Book of Acts and you put it together, 09:13 you'll find that those two books 09:14 comprise 27% of the New Testament. 09:19 That is the largest contribution 09:20 of any single author in the New Testament. 09:24 Paul refers to Luke as a gentile coworker, 09:28 and he is the only non-Jew to be an author of a portion 09:32 of the New Testament. 09:35 Now it's interesting to note that the largest amount of work 09:39 by a single author in the New Testament is a non-Jew, 09:43 it's Luke. 09:45 Now it's not by chance then that Luke's main hero 09:48 in the Book of Acts is the Apostle Paul 09:50 because Paul refers to himself as the apostle to the gentiles. 09:54 Luke was a gentile. 09:55 Almost two-thirds of the Book of Acts 09:57 is dedicated to the missionary activity 09:59 of the Apostle Paul. 10:02 Now in addition to talking about the Apostle Paul 10:04 and his missionary work, 10:05 there are also three very important themes 10:07 that keep repeating in the Book of Acts. 10:10 The one is the sovereignty of God 10:12 and His divine purpose. 10:14 The second is the exultation of Jesus 10:17 as both Lord and Savior. 10:20 And the third, very important one, 10:22 is the role of the Holy Spirit in empowering 10:24 and guiding the church for mission. 10:28 So the Book of Acts is in essence the story 10:32 of those who were originally called by Christ 10:36 to take the gospel to the world. 10:38 And the question that we're going to be looking at 10:40 both today and through the next coming weeks 10:42 as we study the Book of Acts, 10:44 we're going to be asking ourselves 10:46 what can we... 10:47 We believe we're the ones that are called by God 10:49 in the final days of the earth's history 10:51 to take the gospel to the world, 10:53 what can we in these last days learn from the experience 10:56 of those back at the beginning of the Christian era? 11:00 What lessons do we learn from them 11:02 that we can apply to ourselves? 11:05 Well, with that as our background, 11:06 let's go to our first lesson. 11:09 As mentioned, it's entitled You Will Be My Witnesses. 11:13 And you'll see we have a memory text 11:15 right there on the top of the page. 11:18 And it's Acts 1:8. 11:21 I'm going to read it right out of the lesson courtly, 11:23 it says, "You will receive power 11:25 when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, 11:27 and you'll be my witnesses in Jerusalem, 11:30 in all Judea, in Samaria, 11:33 and unto the ends of the earth." 11:35 Now who spoke these words? 11:37 If you look in your Bible, it's in red ink, isn't it? 11:40 It's the words of Jesus. 11:41 Jesus is giving a great commission 11:43 to His disciples. 11:44 In essence, it's a repeat of the great commission 11:47 that you can read in Matthew 28, 11:49 worded a little bit differently, 11:50 but Jesus says, "You ought to be My witnesses." 11:54 He says to His disciples, 11:55 start with those nearest to you. 11:57 When Jesus gave them the great commission 11:59 or said these words, 12:00 He was on the Mount of Olives just before his ascension. 12:03 The Mount of Olives is right across 12:05 from the Kidron Valley to Jerusalem, 12:07 the disciples then went to Jerusalem 12:09 and they were spending time in prayer 12:11 and the Holy Spirit came upon them. 12:12 Then they began to witness first in Jerusalem 12:15 and then the area surrounding Jerusalem 12:17 which would be Judea, 12:20 and then they went a little further 12:21 north to the area of Samaria, 12:23 and then from there, around the world, 12:26 being faithful to the commission 12:28 given to them by Christ. 12:31 So now Acts chapter 1 re-quotes for us 12:33 the final instructions 12:35 that Jesus gave to His disciples. 12:38 And something that was very important 12:40 to the disciples was a promise that Jesus gave them. 12:43 He said that, "You shall receive power 12:46 when the Holy Spirit has come upon you." 12:49 So the disciples then returned back to Jerusalem, 12:52 and they are in earnest prayer asking for the Holy Spirit 12:55 in order to go forth 12:57 and be the witnesses that Jesus wants them to be, 13:01 to take the gospel to all the world. 13:03 And of course that first century church, 13:06 they were not the only ones 13:07 who were given the great commission 13:09 to take the gospel to the world 13:10 but we find in the Book of Revelation a remnant 13:12 who have a special message to take the everlasting gospel 13:16 to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. 13:20 And where do we find that end-time gospel commission? 13:24 In Revelation 14. 13:26 We might even touch on that a little later 13:27 in our study today. 13:29 It's interesting, note the word gospel. 13:30 What does the word gospel mean? It means good news. 13:35 Did the disciples have good news 13:36 to take to the world? 13:38 Absolutely. Jesus had come. 13:41 He had provided a perfect sacrifice 13:44 that could atone for our sins. 13:46 Good news that Jesus is our high priest ministering 13:49 in the heavenly sanctuary, 13:50 good news that Jesus was to come back 13:53 and claim His own. 13:54 Good news brought hope, 13:56 brought power to people around the world. 13:59 And we still have that good news to take to the world. 14:03 Now Sunday's lesson is entitled The Restoration of Israel. 14:07 There are two kinds of messianic prophecies 14:10 that we find in the Old Testament. 14:13 The one is a kingly messiah 14:15 who would rule on the throne of David 14:17 and liberate Israel from the enemies. 14:19 But the Old Testament also portrays a servant messiah 14:23 or a suffering messiah who would come 14:25 and save his people from their sins 14:27 through his atoning sacrifice. 14:30 Now which of those two ideas of messiah 14:32 do you think the Jews preferred? 14:35 Well, without a doubt, they liked the kingly messiah. 14:38 They wanted Jesus to come and liberate them 14:40 from their enemies, the Romans. 14:42 They wanted a messiah 14:43 who would rule on the throne of David 14:45 and turn Israel back into that glorious nation 14:49 during the time of Solomon and the time of David. 14:51 They were looking for an earthly messiah, 14:53 someone who would make their lives better 14:56 here on the earth. 14:58 But Jesus, when He came the first time, 15:00 He came not as kingly messiah 15:02 but He came as a suffering messiah. 15:04 He came to provide a means of salvation. 15:07 When Jesus began His earthly ministry, 15:08 He would often say repent, 15:10 this is also something that John the Baptist said, 15:12 "Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." 15:16 Well, just the words the kingdom 15:18 made a lot of people excited, 15:19 and they had these grand visions of glory 15:22 when Israel would be this great nation once again, 15:25 and they would have all their needs met, 15:27 and they wouldn't have any of the enemies 15:29 oppressing them. 15:30 But then Jesus goes on to explain 15:32 what exactly He means when He says, 15:34 "The kingdom is at hand." 15:36 There are two phases to the kingdom. 15:38 The first is what we call the kingdom of grace. 15:41 Jesus came to establish a kingdom of grace 15:44 here on this earth through His sacrifice, 15:47 through the work that He came to do. 15:48 But the Bible also speaks of the kingdom of glory 15:51 that Jesus directed His disciples 15:53 to look towards for the future, 15:55 a kingdom of glory that is yet to come. 15:58 In the Lord's prayer, "Thy will be done on earth 16:00 as it is done in heaven. 16:02 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done." 16:05 That is a future kingdom of glory 16:08 that the followers of Christ were to look towards. 16:11 Now Jesus, of course, was very clear 16:13 on these two phases of messiahship, 16:16 the kingly phase which would follow 16:18 after the servant phase. 16:20 We can actually read in Luke 17:24, 25, 16:25 these are words of Jesus 16:26 and He's trying to help His disciples understand 16:28 the nature of His mission. 16:31 And it begins in verse 24, it says, Christ speaking, 16:34 "For as lightning that flashes 16:35 out of one part under the heaven 16:37 shines onto the other part under heaven, 16:39 so also the Son of Man will be in his day." 16:44 Now what phase of Christ' ministry 16:46 is Jesus referring to? 16:48 Is He referring to His suffering phase 16:50 or His kingly phase? 16:52 Clearly His kingly phase, right? 16:53 He's talking about the second coming of Jesus, 16:55 Jesus comes as King of kings and Lord of lords. 16:58 The very next verse however, Jesus references 17:01 His suffering phase in verse 25, 17:04 He says, "But first, He," speaking of Christ, 17:07 the messiah, "Must suffer many things 17:10 and be rejected by this generation." 17:13 So yes, Jesus recognized His kingly messiahship 17:16 but He was trying to direct the attention of disciples 17:18 to His suffering messiahship first 17:22 and the work that Jesus had come to do. 17:24 On the road to Emmaus, 17:25 following the crucifixion of Jesus, 17:28 early Sunday morning, there were two disciples 17:31 that were walking back to Emmaus. 17:32 There were some reports that they had received 17:34 that the tomb was empty 17:35 and there was a lot of confusion 17:37 as to what had happened to Jesus. 17:39 And the two disciples were on their way back 17:41 to their home village of Emmaus, 17:43 and while they were walking, they were discussing the things 17:46 that had taken place that very weekend before. 17:49 And while they were walking, 17:50 a stranger fell into step with them. 17:53 Of course, the Bible tells us who that stranger was. 17:55 It was Jesus. 17:57 And as the two were walking discussing being sad, 18:00 Jesus asked them, He said, "Why are you so sad?" 18:03 Now what manner of conversation is this? 18:06 Disciples turn to Jesus, they don't recognize Jesus, 18:09 but they say, 18:10 "Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem? 18:12 Don't you know what's happened?" 18:15 And Jesus said, "What things? What happened?" 18:17 They begin to explain how that Jesus of Nazareth 18:20 whom they believed to be 18:21 a prophet amongst them was crucified. 18:25 And now there were rumors that tomb was empty. 18:27 Some have said He's risen from the death, 18:29 and they were all confused, 18:30 and they didn't quite know what to believe. 18:32 And then Jesus said to them, "O fools, slow of heart 18:35 to believe everything that the prophets have spoken." 18:38 And then you find in Luke 24:25, 18:41 Jesus said, "O foolish ones, 18:43 slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken, 18:46 ought not the Christ to had suffered these things 18:49 and then to end to his glory." 18:52 So Jesus began to explain to them 18:55 these various messianic prophecies 18:57 and how they would relate to the suffering phase 18:59 and then follow it by the glory phase. 19:02 Now a lesson for us today, 19:05 if you look at the life of Jesus, 19:06 the suffering phase came first followed by the glory phase. 19:10 The disciples of Jesus need to recognize 19:13 that the suffering comes first followed by the glory. 19:18 When someone becomes a follower of Christ, 19:20 it doesn't mean that your life necessarily 19:22 is free of trials or difficulties 19:24 or that you might not have any sufferings. 19:27 We live in a world that is filled with 19:29 sin, sorrow, pain, and yes, even death. 19:32 Yes, there is a time of trial, there is a testing of our faith 19:36 there is a suffering that must come first, 19:39 but Christ has promised us that He will come again. 19:43 And when He comes again, these mortal bodies 19:45 will put on immortality, and there'd be no more pain, 19:47 no more sorrow, no more death, 19:49 forever we'll be with Him and with those that love Him. 19:53 So don't get discouraged in your Christian experience 19:56 if you experience some suffering 19:59 or if trials come your way. 20:01 Recognize that Jesus went through the same experience, 20:04 but there is a promise of a glorious tomorrow 20:08 when Jesus comes again. 20:10 You see, this world is not our home, 20:11 we're just passing through. 20:13 Our treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue. 20:17 Now the hope of the Jewish people 20:19 was for a kingly messiah. 20:21 That's what they longed for. 20:23 They wanted someone who would deliver them 20:24 from their adversary, the Romans. 20:27 Even John the Baptist did not quite understand 20:30 at first the nature of the kingdom 20:32 that Jesus had come to establish, 20:34 even though John the Baptist under the inspiration 20:36 of the Holy Spirit pointed to Jesus 20:38 there on the banks of the Jordan river 20:39 and said, "Behold the lamb of God 20:41 that takes away the sins of the world." 20:43 John was also to some degree 20:45 sharing the hope of the Jewish people 20:48 that the messiah would rule from the throne of David, 20:52 establish the nation of Israel once again. 20:55 After John the Baptist was arrested by Herod 20:59 and placed in prison, 21:01 he began to hear a little bit about the work 21:03 that Jesus was doing. 21:05 How that He was going from place to place 21:07 and teaching and healing the sick and so on. 21:10 He began to hear that Jesus didn't seem 21:12 to be too interested 21:14 in establishing Himself as king in Israel. 21:18 A few doubts came to the mind of John the Baptist. 21:21 So finally, he sent two of his disciples over to Jesus, 21:25 and they had this simple question from John, 21:27 "Are you the one or should we look for another?" 21:31 He began to wonder is Jesus the messiah 21:33 'cause He's not establishing Himself as king. 21:36 Well, Jesus doesn't answer those two disciples immediately 21:39 but rather He invites them to spend some time with Him. 21:42 And they witness that Jesus opens 21:44 that eyes of the blind, 21:45 and how the lame are able to walk, 21:48 and how the gospel is preached to the poor, 21:52 even how the dead are being raised. 21:54 And then after spending some time with Jesus, 21:56 Jesus then turns to the disciples 21:58 and says, "Go back and tell John 22:00 everything that you've seen 22:02 and everything that you've heard." 22:04 And the two disciples make their way back 22:06 to the prison to tell John 22:07 everything that they had witnessed concerning Jesus. 22:10 And while the two disciples were heading away, 22:12 Jesus turned to the crowd that had gathered around Him, 22:14 and He said, "What did you go into the wilderness to see? 22:17 A reed shaken by the wind? 22:20 What did you go in the wilderness to see? 22:22 A man dressed in fine apparel?" 22:25 Jesus said those wearing fine apparel, 22:26 they belong in palaces. 22:28 "What did you go in the wilderness 22:30 to see a prophet and yeah, I say more than a prophet?" 22:34 "For of all of those born unto woman, 22:36 there is not a risen one greater than John the Baptist." 22:40 Even though John the Baptist had some doubts at times 22:44 as to why he was suffering, 22:46 why he was going through trials, 22:48 Jesus still recognized John the Baptist as one of His. 22:52 He recognized John the Baptist as having a very important work 22:56 in the ministry that Jesus had come to do. 22:59 We might go through trials and difficulties 23:02 and sometimes we might even question, 23:03 "Lord, why are You allowing this to happen to us?" 23:06 It doesn't mean God doesn't love us. 23:08 It doesn't mean that we're not followers of Christ. 23:11 But it does mean that we need to have endurance, 23:14 and patience, and faith, and hold onto the promises 23:17 that God has given us. 23:19 Although two disciples went back 23:21 and told John the Baptist 23:22 everything that they had seen and heard 23:23 and that strengthened John's faith, 23:27 and he was faithful, 23:28 believing in Christ to be the messiah 23:30 all the way up till his death. 23:33 Now despite Jesus's warnings to the disciples 23:36 that He was to suffer and die, 23:38 the disciples did not understand 23:41 what Jesus was really saying. 23:43 Their minds were clouded with these visions of grandeur, 23:47 a kingly messiah. 23:48 As a matter of fact, they were even arguing 23:50 amongst themselves as to who would be 23:51 the greatest in the kingdom 23:53 that they thought Jesus was soon to establish. 23:56 They didn't quite understand the nature of Christ kingdom 23:58 even after the resurrection. 24:01 They didn't fully understand Christ's mission. 24:03 As a matter of fact, we have somebody 24:04 that's going to read for us Acts 1:6. 24:07 Now this is after the resurrection, 24:10 disciples are asking Jesus a question. 24:13 "Therefore, when they had come together, 24:15 they ask Him saying, 'Lord, will You, at this time, 24:18 restore the kingdom to Israel?'" 24:21 So there you can see the disciples, 24:22 this is even after the resurrection, 24:24 they thought, "Okay, now the time has come 24:26 and Jesus has provided a sacrifice for sins 24:28 and now the time has come for Him to establish 24:30 an earthly kingdom, and to be king, 24:33 and restore Israel back to its former glory." 24:36 Well, Jesus does not answer them 24:38 too directly with reference to when the kingdom would come, 24:41 but He does answer them in verse 7, 24:44 "And He said unto them, 24:45 'It is not for you to know the times 24:47 and the seasons which the Father has put 24:49 under His own authority." 24:51 And He goes on to talk about their mission, 24:53 "You'll receive power 24:54 and you ought to be My witnesses." 24:56 You know, even today, there are individuals 24:58 even in the Christian community 25:00 that have misunderstood the nature of the ministry, 25:03 the work that Jesus is doing. 25:05 There has been no end of those who have tried to predict 25:09 when the kingdom of glory is to come. 25:12 People have tried to predict when Jesus would come. 25:15 And time and time again, they have been disappointed. 25:18 And Jesus says, "No man knows the day or the hour 25:21 when Christ will come." 25:22 So it's not for us to try and speculate 25:24 when Jesus will come rather what we ought to do 25:27 is to do the work that Jesus has revealed to us. 25:30 There are truths in scripture that are clear and plain, 25:34 and we ought to take those truths 25:36 and do our very best to be faithful 25:38 to the mission given to us by our Lord 25:40 and not speculate in these things 25:42 that the Bible has not revealed. 25:45 And now the disciples were not alone 25:48 and their misunderstanding of this important time period 25:51 when the kingdom of glory would come. 25:53 As mentioned, there are many even today making 25:55 all kinds of predictions. 25:57 But the question that we're asking 25:58 when studying through the Book of Acts, 26:00 "What does their experience teach us today 26:04 with reference to our experience?" 26:07 A little closer to home with reference 26:08 to the Adventist movement 26:10 and the Seventh-day Adventist denomination, 26:12 in the early 1800s, 26:14 there were a group of believers, 26:15 who based upon their study 26:16 of the prophecies of Daniel chapter 8, 26:19 some of the prophecies of Revelation, 26:22 came to the conclusion that the kingdom of glory, 26:24 Christ's second coming would take place 26:27 at the end of the 2,300 days, Daniel 8:14, "After 2,300 days, 26:32 then the sanctuary shall be cleansed." 26:35 And based upon their study of the Book of Daniel, 26:38 they did some math and they figured out 26:40 in Daniel chapter 9 26:41 that the beginning of the 2,300 days 26:43 would be with decree to restore and we build Jerusalem in 457. 26:47 And they calculated the math and it came to 1844. 26:52 They read the verse, "After 2,300 days, 26:54 then the sanctuary shall be cleansed," 26:56 they thought the sanctuary was the earth, 27:00 and the cleansing of the sanctuary 27:01 would be by fire 27:03 when Jesus comes back the second time. 27:05 Thus, the kingdom of glory 27:06 would come at the end of the 2,300 days. 27:10 But Jesus did not come back in 1844. 27:14 Just like the disciples who were looking forward 27:16 to the establishment of the kingdom of glory 27:19 during their time 27:21 saw those early Adventist believers 27:23 were looking for the establishment 27:24 of the kingdom of glory. 27:25 They didn't quite understand a special ministry and work 27:30 that Jesus was to do for them in heaven 27:33 before He comes back as King of kings 27:35 and Lord of lords. 27:37 Just like the disciples didn't truly understand 27:40 the nature of the work 27:42 that Jesus was about to do in heaven for them 27:44 until after, He ascended up 27:46 and the Holy Spirit came upon them. 27:48 So this group of believers didn't fully understand 27:51 their mission in taking 27:53 the Three Angels' messages to the world 27:55 until after they had gone through that disappointment. 27:58 As a matter of fact, this is such an important point 28:00 in history that there is an entire chapter 28:03 in the Book of Revelation dedicated to this experience 28:07 of the early Advent believers in 1844. 28:11 You find that in Revelation chapter 10. 28:14 That's a fascinating study. 28:15 We don't have time to go into all of the details, 28:17 I want to just quickly give you an overview 28:19 so I can draw out a lesson 28:21 that I think we need to recognize today, 28:23 a lesson that we can learn 28:24 from the experience of the disciples 28:25 back in the first century. 28:28 Revelation chapter 10 talks about an angel 28:31 coming down from heaven. 28:32 And the angel has a little book that is open in his hand, 28:36 and he sets his one foot upon the earth 28:37 and his other foot upon the sea. 28:39 And then he lifts his hand towards heaven 28:41 and swears by him that lives forever and forever 28:44 who made the heavens and the things 28:45 that are in the earth 28:46 and the things that are in the sea 28:48 and the things that are there in... 28:49 That there should be time no longer. 28:52 But at the sounding of the seventh trumpet, 28:54 when it shall begin to sound, 28:56 then the mystery of God will be revealed 28:59 as He has declared unto His servants, 29:00 the prophets. 29:02 And then John hears a voice, a voice from heaven 29:05 that tells him to go and take the little book 29:07 which is open in the hand of the angel. 29:09 And John was to eat the book. 29:12 The book would be sweet in his mouth, 29:13 but as soon as he swallows the book, 29:15 it will make his stomach bitter. 29:18 Are some of you familiar with that prophecy? 29:21 Now what's that prophecy all about? 29:22 Well, the angel coming down from heaven 29:24 represents a heaven-sent message 29:26 that is coming to the earth. 29:28 The little book that's open in the hand 29:30 of the angel represents the Book of Daniel, 29:32 a little prophetic book of Daniel. 29:34 It has this mysterious time element. 29:38 And when John is told to eat the book, 29:40 it represents those in the early 1800s 29:42 who took the little book of Daniel and studied it, 29:45 to eat it means to study it, to receive it. 29:49 Jeremiah 15:16 says, "Thy words were found 29:52 and I did eat them and they were unto me the joy 29:55 and rejoice into my heart." 29:57 So here are these early Advent believers 29:59 based upon their study of the Book of Daniel, 30:01 they reached the conclusion that Jesus is soon to come. 30:04 They are looking forward to the coming of Christ 30:06 just like the disciples of all 30:08 who were looking forward to the establishment 30:10 of the kingdom of glory here on the earth. 30:12 But when Jesus did not come, 30:15 they were bitterly disappointed. 30:17 But God had a purpose 30:18 in leading them through that experience. 30:20 Just like the disciples after Jesus was crucified 30:25 and finally resurrected, that kind of realigned 30:29 their thinking with reference to Christ's mission. 30:31 They also needed to recognize that they work 30:33 as God's people as His disciples, 30:36 it was not over, but it had scarcely begun 30:39 that the gospel had to go to all the world, 30:42 so those who went through the great disappointment 30:44 of 1844, came out of that experience 30:47 realizing that their work was not finished, 30:51 but it had scarcely begun. 30:52 Then it was that they were able to read further 30:55 and began to understand about the heavenly sanctuary 30:57 with Jesus' ministers as our high priest 31:00 and that Jesus has entered into a special final phase 31:03 of His high priestly ministry. 31:05 And at the end of that special cleansing 31:07 of the heavenly sanctuary, 31:09 then Jesus will remove His priestly robe, 31:12 put on His kingly robe, 31:14 and come back as King of kings and Lord of lords. 31:17 But it was important for them to go through that experience 31:20 so that they could get a clearer 31:21 and fuller understanding of their mission 31:24 and the work that Christ was calling them to do. 31:27 Now let's apply that to ourselves individually. 31:30 Why is it that sometime 31:31 we face trials and difficulties? 31:35 It's not because God does not love us, 31:37 it's not because God does not care, 31:40 but maybe God is allowing us to go through an experience 31:43 so that we can learn something about Him 31:47 and something about ourselves. 31:49 Maybe He is giving us an experience 31:51 so that we will have a testimony that we can share 31:53 with somebody else to encourage them. 31:56 So the experience of the disciples of old 31:59 and the experience of the early Adventist believers, 32:02 they all teach us a lesson for our time even today. 32:06 Yes, nobody likes trials and difficulties. 32:09 But Jesus said, "We will have them in this world, 32:11 but do not be afraid," Christ said, 32:14 "for I have overcome the world." 32:16 Claiming His promises, holding on to Him in faith, 32:19 He is able to work all things out, 32:21 ultimately, for the good of those that love Him. 32:24 Now on Monday's lesson, 32:26 the title is The Disciple's Mission. 32:30 And instead of indulging these speculations 32:33 of when the kingdom would be established, 32:35 as the disciples did, 32:36 Jesus gave them a very important specific work. 32:40 And we find in Acts 1:8, 32:42 this work that Jesus gives His disciples, 32:45 and someone will read that for us. 32:47 "But you shall receive power 32:48 when the Holy Spirit has come upon you 32:51 and you shall be witnesses to me 32:53 and Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, 32:56 and to the end of the earth." 32:58 All right, well, thank you. 32:59 That, of course, is our memory text 33:01 for this week's lesson. 33:03 In this great commission that Jesus gives in Acts chapter 1, 33:07 it repeats a number of the principles 33:08 that you find in Matthew 28, 33:10 but there are four important elements 33:12 that are highlighted with reference 33:13 to the disciple's mission. 33:15 The first is the need of the Holy Spirit. 33:17 Jesus said, "You shall receive power 33:20 when the Holy Spirit comes upon you." 33:23 Now of course, this is in harmony 33:24 with an Old Testament prophecy concerning a special outpouring 33:28 of the Holy Spirit upon the believers. 33:30 Joel 2:28 says, 33:32 And it shall come to pass afterwards 33:34 that I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh, 33:37 your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, 33:39 your old men shall dream dreams, 33:42 and your young men shall see visions." 33:45 This prophecy is actually referenced by Peter 33:47 on the day of Pentecost when he got up to preach. 33:50 And he actually referred to this prophecy. 33:52 But the prophecy doesn't end in verse 28, in Joel 22:28. 33:56 It actually goes on verse 29 33:58 and talks about the great and dreadful day of the Lord. 34:01 It talks about a great earthquake. 34:03 Well, now we know that the great and dreadful day 34:05 of the the Lord is indeed the second coming of Christ. 34:08 That did not occur in the first century A.D. 34:11 So what happened at the time of Pentecost 34:13 was a partial fulfillment of this prophecy 34:16 in the Book of Joel. 34:18 But there is a broader fulfillment for our time, 34:22 a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit 34:25 just before probation closes. 34:28 I'm going to talk for just a few moments 34:29 about this special outpouring of the Holy Spirit, 34:33 what brings this about. 34:35 Now in the ministry of Jesus, 34:37 we can see three different phases of Christ ministry. 34:43 The first phase took place here on the earth. 34:46 We call that Christ's prophetic phase. 34:50 Jesus did the work of a prophet when He was on the earth, 34:52 He preached the gospel, 34:54 He healed the sick, He performed miracles, 34:57 He provided a sacrifice for our sins. 35:00 Jesus was anointed 35:01 for His prophetic phase of ministry 35:04 in Luke 4:18, when it says, 35:08 "Jesus, the Spirit of the Lord is upon me 35:10 because He has anointed me 35:11 to preach the gospel to the poor." 35:14 So when Jesus was baptized there in the Jordan River 35:17 and the Holy Spirit came down upon Him 35:19 in the form of a dove, 35:21 that was Christ anointing for His prophetic work 35:25 here on the earth, the work of a prophet. 35:27 Something else that is important to note, 35:29 whenever Jesus is anointed, 35:32 His followers receive a blessing as well. 35:36 When Jesus came to the earth 35:37 and He was anointed with the Holy Spirit, 35:39 those who were with Him 35:40 experienced wonderful blessings. 35:43 The sick were healed, 35:44 the blind had their sight restored, 35:46 the lame were able to walk, even the dead was raised, 35:49 the gospel was being preached. 35:51 So if you spend time around Jesus, 35:54 when Jesus is anointed for something, 35:56 you end up receiving a blessing. 35:59 The second anointing with reference to Christ 36:01 and His ministry occurs when Jesus ascends up to heaven 36:05 and He is anointed as priest 36:07 ministering for us in the heavenly sanctuary. 36:10 In Hebrews 8:1, we read, 36:12 now this is the main point of the things 36:14 that we are saying, 36:15 "We have such a high priest 36:17 who is seated at the right hand of the throne 36:19 of the majesty of the heavens." 36:21 So when Jesus ascended up to heaven, 36:23 He was anointed for this work as high priest. 36:26 When Christ was anointed as high priest, 36:28 what happened to the disciples 36:30 gathered there in the upper room in Jerusalem? 36:32 The Holy Spirit came upon them with power. 36:36 Now back in Bible times, 36:38 when someone was anointed to be a prophet, 36:40 or anointed to be a priest, 36:42 or anointed to be a king, how were they anointed? 36:45 Well, it was with oil. Oil was placed upon their head. 36:48 You can read the Old Testament accounts, 36:50 it talks about the oil placed upon the head, 36:52 it would run down of the beard 36:54 and would drip down on to the earth. 36:56 Today, when we are talking about anointing service, 36:58 it's just a little drop of oil 36:59 that we place on somebody's forehead 37:01 if they're sick when we pray for them. 37:03 But the anointing in the Bible times 37:04 involved a whole lot of oil being poured over the head 37:08 and dripping down on to the earth. 37:10 So when Jesus was anointed as our high priest in heaven 37:15 and He began His priestly ministry, 37:17 the anointing of Christ dropped down on to the earth 37:21 so to speak and the Holy Spirit 37:23 came upon the disciples with power. 37:25 We call that the early rain. 37:29 And that was the power that started 37:30 this great evangelistic work 37:32 of taking the gospel to the world. 37:34 But according to Bible prophecy, 37:36 there is to be a third phase of Christ ministry. 37:40 Jesus has fulfilled His prophetic, His priestly, 37:43 He is working on that right now, 37:45 He is our priest ministering for us in heaven, 37:47 but when His priestly work is finished, 37:50 then He moves into His kingly phase, 37:53 and He comes back as King of kings 37:55 and Lord of lords. 37:56 That has not yet happened. 37:57 But Jesus is also anointed for His kingly work 38:01 or kingly phase of ministry. 38:04 And when Jesus is anointed as our king, 38:07 there is also a special blessing 38:09 bestowed upon God's people here on the earth. 38:12 Just like the early days of the church 38:14 when the Holy Spirit came in Pentecost, 38:16 there is a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit 38:18 in the latter days just before Jesus comes. 38:22 And we read about this at the close 38:23 of Christ's priestly ministry, 38:24 Psalms 2:2. 38:27 It says, "The kings of the earth 38:28 have set themselves 38:29 and the rulers are taking counsel against thee." 38:32 Now it's talking about this great day of Armageddon 38:35 when the nations of the earth have gathered their forces 38:38 and are about to attack God's people in the last days. 38:41 It says, "The rulers have taken counsel together 38:43 against the Lord and against His anointed." 38:47 So the anointed is Christ. 38:49 Now Jesus is anointed in His kingly role. 38:53 Something else interesting to know is that 38:55 King David was anointed to be king 38:58 before he actually took possession of the kingdom. 39:02 You remember the story of the Rehoboam, 39:03 the son of Solomon? 39:05 The kingdom was eventually divided up 39:06 between Rehoboam and Jeroboam, 39:08 Jeroboam was the one who took the 10 tribes of the North. 39:11 Jeroboam was anointed to king of the 10 tribes of the North 39:14 before he actually took possession of the kingdom. 39:18 So Jesus is anointed to be king in heaven 39:21 before He takes possession of the kingdom, 39:24 before Jesus comes back as King of kings 39:26 and Lord of lords. 39:27 There is a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the earth 39:31 just before probation closes 39:34 and the gospel goes to all the world. 39:37 We talk about this great loud cry record 39:39 in Revelation chapter 18 39:41 where the earth is illuminated with the glory of God, 39:44 it's the result of the special outpouring 39:46 of the Holy Spirit in the last days. 39:49 So the first emphasis that we see with reference 39:52 to the commission God has given us 39:54 is the need for the Holy Spirit. 39:56 It is a response to the power of the Holy Spirit 39:58 that we can be God's witnesses. 40:00 The second principle that we find 40:02 from our memory text is the role of the witness. 40:06 Acts 4:19 and 20 says, 40:08 "But Peter and John answered them saying, 40:10 'Whether it is right in the sight of God 40:12 to listen to you more than God you judge,"' 40:15 And then in verse 20, he says, 40:17 'for we cannot but speak the things 40:19 which we have seen and what we've heard.'" 40:23 To be a witness for Jesus is to speak of those things 40:27 that we have seen in her. 40:28 Evangelism at its very core 40:31 is sharing with somebody else what Jesus has done for you. 40:34 Amen. 40:35 Did the disciples have a testimony 40:37 to share with the world? 40:39 Absolutely, they had been with Jesus. 40:41 Jesus had done some amazing things for them. 40:44 Do you have a testimony to share with the world? 40:48 Has Jesus done some amazing things 40:50 in your heart and in your life? 40:52 Until we have a real experience with Jesus, 40:55 we can't quite be His witnesses 40:58 because evangelism is sharing what Jesus has done for you. 41:02 That's, in essence, what it is, 41:05 telling other people about Jesus. 41:07 Point number three that we learn 41:08 from our memory verse is the plan formations. 41:11 Jesus has told the disciples 41:12 that they were to start in Jerusalem 41:14 and then expand their reach to Judea, and Samaria, 41:16 and then to the ends of the earth. 41:18 So when it comes to being a missionary, 41:20 don't think that you have to pack up everything you have 41:22 and go to some distant land to tell the people about Jesus, 41:26 there is that part of being a missionary, 41:28 but we can all begin by being home missionaries. 41:32 We can start with those closest to us. 41:34 We can start, so to speak, in Jerusalem 41:37 and then expand that in our neighborhood, 41:40 in our city, in our town. 41:42 And yes, we might not be able to go to some distant land, 41:45 but can we support those who can go 41:47 and preach the gospel? 41:48 Absolutely. 41:50 That's an important work that we have to do. 41:53 And then finally, the fourth plan 41:54 that we have here is the orientation 41:57 of this gospel commission. 42:00 During the Old Testament times, 42:02 Israel was to shine for the truth of God's Word 42:06 and all the nations and the peoples 42:07 were to be drawn to them to hear the truth. 42:11 So people would come to Israel to find out God's will. 42:15 But in the New Testament times, 42:17 it's not the nations coming to us 42:19 but rather it's us going to the nations. 42:22 So there is a shift. 42:23 Old Testament times, it was people coming up 42:25 to Israel to find truth, in New Testament times, 42:29 it's spiritual Israel going out into the world. 42:32 Thus, we have, in Revelation 14, 42:34 the everlasting gospel going to every nation, 42:37 kindred, tongue, and people. 42:39 The gospel has to go to everyone 42:41 and immediately following 42:42 the proclamation of the everlasting gospel 42:45 and the three angels' messages. 42:46 The next thing that you see in Revelations 14 42:49 is the harvest of the earth, Jesus comes the second time, 42:52 so one of the final works 42:54 that is to take place before probation closes 42:56 is the everlasting gospel going to the world. 43:00 You know, sometimes we sit in Christian communities 43:02 and we have the Bible, and we know the gospel, 43:06 and we talk about scriptures, 43:08 and yet there are so many out there in the world 43:10 who have never heard the name of Jesus, 43:13 who are searching for purpose and meaning in their life, 43:16 and yet they want to hear, they want to know. 43:19 And God has given us the work of sharing the good news 43:22 with as many as we can. 43:23 And by the way, there is no greater joy 43:25 that anyone can ever have 43:27 than the joy of bringing somebody else to Jesus. 43:30 To do the work of a missionary is the greatest thing 43:32 that can ever happen. 43:33 All right, on Tuesday's lesson, 43:35 it's entitled He Will Come Again. 43:37 And, of course, this is the promise 43:38 that Jesus gave to His disciples 43:40 when He was about to ascend. 43:43 That promise is also found in Revelation 14:1-3, 43:46 Jesus said, "Let not your hearts be troubled, 43:48 if you believe in God, believe also in Me. 43:50 In My Father's house, there are many mansions," 43:53 If it weren't outside, I would have told you, 43:54 "I go to prepare a place for you," Jesus said, 43:57 "and if I go and prepare a place for you, 44:00 I will," What? 44:02 "come again and receive you on to Myself 44:05 that where I am, there you may also be." 44:08 So Jesus before leaving His disciples, 44:10 He told them He would come again. 44:13 And that was their motivation, that was their great hope. 44:16 Yes, Jesus would come again. 44:20 Now Jesus also knew though 44:22 that the devil would try to deceive people 44:25 with reference to the manner of His coming 44:28 'cause the deceiver, 44:30 the devil will do everything he can to deceive 44:33 even if possible the very elect. 44:35 That's why Jesus said, "If anyone says to you, 44:37 'Look, here is Christ or there', 44:39 do not believe it, 44:41 for false Christ and false prophets will rise 44:44 and show great signs and wonders to deceive 44:47 if possible," Who? 44:48 "Even the very elect." 44:49 Then He said, "See, I have told you beforehand." 44:53 So there's a lot confusion even in Christian circles today 44:56 with reference to the manner of Christ coming. 44:59 Today, some people think 45:01 that the second coming of Jesus is only symbolic or spiritual. 45:07 Some people think that the second coming 45:08 takes places at conversion or at death. 45:12 And still others insist in what they call 45:14 a secret coming or a secret rapture. 45:17 But what we want to know is what does the Bible say 45:20 concerning the manner of Christ coming. 45:23 You see, if we're not clear 45:24 with reference to how Jesus will come, 45:27 we're setting ourselves up to be deceived by a counterfeit 45:31 so called second coming of Jesus. 45:34 You see, the devil in the last days 45:35 will do everything he can to deceive. 45:37 The Bible says, "He can transform himself 45:39 into an angel of light." 45:41 So understanding how Jesus will come is important. 45:44 Well, let's take a look then in Acts chapter 1 45:47 and we will have somebody read for us verse 9. 45:50 It talks a little bit about how Jesus will come. 45:52 Acts 1:9. 45:54 Acts 1:9, "Now when he had spoken these things 45:58 while their watch too taken up 45:59 and a cloud received Him out of their sight." 46:02 So can you imagine the scene? 46:03 The disciples have gathered there 46:04 on the Mount of Olives and Jesus is in front of them, 46:06 He is sharing His final great commission to them 46:09 and while Christ is talking right before their eyes, 46:12 they begin to see Jesus lifting up in the air. 46:16 And they are just amazed as they watch 46:18 and Jesus still speaks, and there He goes, 46:20 and then a cloud envelops Jesus, 46:21 and He is taken away from them, and still standing gazing up, 46:25 suddenly two men appear next to them... 46:28 and they have something interesting to say. 46:30 Let's look at verse 10, 46:31 "And while they look steadfastly towards heaven 46:34 as He went up, behold two men 46:35 stood by them in white apparel." 46:36 Who are these two men? 46:38 "The angels who also said, 'Men of Galilee, 46:42 why do stand gazing up into the heaven?'" 46:44 Notice this, "this same Jesus, 46:47 who was taken up from you into heaven, 46:50 will so come in like manner 46:52 as you have seen him go into heaven.' 46:55 So the angels there said, 46:56 "Jesus is going to come back the same way 46:58 that He has been taken from you." 47:01 Now were the disciples able to see Jesus 47:03 when He ascended up and was taken to heaven? 47:05 Yes. 47:06 So the second coming of Jesus is going to be a visible event. 47:09 You're going to actually be able to see Jesus coming. 47:12 Were there clouds involved in Jesus being ascended to heaven? 47:16 Since the clouds surrounded Him, 47:17 it's probably a cloud of angles there. 47:19 Does Jesus come back in the clouds of heaven 47:22 with all of His angels? 47:23 Absolutely. 47:25 Could the disciples hear Jesus when He was talking to them 47:27 and He was being lifted up of the earth? 47:30 Yes, it says, "While He spoke, He began to lift up." 47:33 So it was an audible event, 47:34 you'll be able to hear Jesus when He comes again. 47:38 And if you look at some of the other Bible passages, 47:40 when Jesus comes again, 47:41 there is going to be a great shout, 47:44 there's going to be a trumpet sound, 47:45 there's going to be a great earthquake, 47:47 the graves are going to open, 47:49 and the righteous are going to be raised, 47:50 those who are alive will be changed in a moment, 47:53 in a twinkling of an eye they will caught up 47:55 to meet Jesus in the air. 47:57 Don't miss that part. 47:58 When Jesus comes the second time, 48:00 He does not appear walking around on the earth. 48:03 Any person that claims to be Jesus 48:06 who is walking about on the earth, 48:07 no matter what kind of miracles they perform, 48:10 they are not Jesus 48:12 'cause when Jesus comes the second time, 48:14 we're caught up to meet Jesus in the air. 48:17 And we go with Jesus to heaven, 48:19 we spend a thousand years of Sabbath in heaven. 48:21 Then the new Jerusalem comes down 48:23 from God out of heaven. 48:25 So when you look at what the Bible says 48:26 with reference to the second coming, 48:28 it is a glorious event. 48:31 You find these words in scripture 48:32 describing the second coming of Christ, 48:35 Jesus comes with clouds, 48:36 there is lightning, there is a trumpet, 48:38 there is a shout, there is power, glory, 48:41 angel's brightness, flaming fire. 48:44 The Bible makes it very clear that there is nothing secret 48:47 about the second coming of Jesus, 48:49 but it's going to be the most spectacular event 48:51 of all of history. 48:53 Jesus will come again. 48:55 That was the hope of the apostles, 48:57 that needs to be our hope as well. 49:00 Well, let's take a look then 49:01 at Wednesday's lesson Preparing for Pentecost. 49:06 And Jesus gave the disciples a very important work to do 49:10 that of taking the gospel to the world. 49:12 Acts chapter 1, beginning in verse 12, 49:15 I'm going to read from verse 12 through to verse 13, 49:17 and then we'll have somebody read for us verse 14, 49:21 "After the Christ ascended to heaven, 49:22 then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet 49:26 which is near Jerusalem about a Sabbath day's journey." 49:28 When I read this, I couldn't help think of... 49:30 A couple weeks ago, we were actually 49:32 on the Mount of Olives on Sabbath 49:35 and we walked a Sabbath day journey. 49:37 We went down the Mount of Olives 49:38 through the Kidron Valley up into Jerusalem 49:40 into the same area of the old city 49:42 where they actually thought 49:44 it could very well be where this house was 49:46 that the disciples had gathered in 49:47 after the ascension of Jesus. 49:49 The house is gone but they know roughly 49:51 where the area is. 49:52 It says, "And when they were entered in, 49:54 they went up into the upper room 49:55 where they were staying Peter, James, John, Andrew, Philip, 49:58 Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, 50:00 James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, 50:02 Judas the son of James," 50:03 And then verse 14 tells us what they did. 50:07 Acts 1:14, "These all continued 50:10 with one accord and prayer and supplication 50:13 with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, 50:16 and with His brothers." 50:17 What do you think the disciples were praying about 50:19 there in the upper room? 50:21 What did Jesus just told them before He ascended to heaven? 50:25 He had told them that they were to be His witnesses, right? 50:29 That they were to take the gospel 50:31 to everyone in Jerusalem, 50:32 and Judea, and Samaria, until the ends of the earth. 50:36 I think when the disciples gathered together, 50:37 they recognized that in their own strength, 50:40 they could never do 50:41 what Jesus had asked them to do. 50:43 They were burdened with this great commission 50:46 that Christ had just given them 50:47 and they realized in their own strength 50:49 it was impossible for them, 50:51 thus they needed the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. 50:54 They needed God's power in order for them 50:56 to accomplish the work God wanted them to do. 50:59 So as they gathered together, they recognized, 51:01 "In order for us to do the work that Jesus has called us to do, 51:05 we need the power that Jesus has promised. 51:07 But in order to receive the power, 51:09 in order to receive the Holy Spirit, 51:10 we need to make things right amongst ourselves." 51:14 It talks about them confessing their faults 51:16 one to another, that we are united in prayer, 51:18 that we are humbling the hearts, 51:19 that we are earnestly seeking 51:21 for this gift of the Holy Spirit. 51:23 How do you suppose the latter rain will come 51:26 at the end of time upon God's church? 51:29 It'll come the same way. 51:31 When the church has a burden 51:33 for the great commission of taking 51:34 the everlasting gospel to those in our community, 51:37 to those places around the world, 51:41 those who have never heard the gospel, 51:42 when the church is burdened with the great commission, 51:46 and we recognize that in our own strength 51:48 we cannot do it, we need the help of God, 51:51 we need the gift of the Holy Spirit, 51:53 and we come together, 51:55 and we make things right amongst ourselves 51:57 and we earnestly seek the gift of the Holy Spirit, 52:01 then the Holy Spirit will come with power. 52:04 And there will be such revival 52:05 that will take place in the church, 52:07 a revival that has never been seen 52:09 to this extent in the history of planet earth. 52:14 There will be power, there will be miracles, 52:16 the preaching of the gospel will go forward, 52:19 lives will be transformed, 52:21 backsliders will be reconverted, 52:23 it'll be a most glorious time in the church, 52:27 and the gospel will go forth to every nation, 52:29 kindred, tongue with power and glory. 52:32 At that end of that time period, probation closes, 52:36 seven last plagues, and Jesus comes. 52:41 I want to encourage you this morning, 52:42 we're looking at bright future in Jesus Christ. 52:45 Amen. The best is yet to come. 52:48 The best for the church, the best for us individually 52:51 because Jesus is coming to take us home. 52:54 What a wonderful hope we have. 52:57 But the gift of the Holy Spirit does not come 52:59 unless we recognize our need of the Holy Spirit 53:02 until we have a burden to do the work God's called us to do. 53:05 I remember one of our evangelists was doing 53:07 an evangelistic series at a little church 53:09 that really didn't have a heart for mission or evangelism. 53:13 Halfway through the meeting, the evangelist happened to hear 53:15 one of the church members say to another church member, 53:18 "I can't wait for these evangelistic meetings 53:21 to be over, so all these people can go 53:23 and we can have our church back." 53:25 Well, that's not the spirit of evangelism. 53:28 You think the Holy Spirit is anxious 53:30 to be poured down on that church? 53:32 They don't recognize their need of the Holy Spirit. 53:35 They are not burdened with the commission 53:37 of taking the gospel to the world. 53:39 And I hope right here at the Granite Bay Church, 53:41 we will never lose sight of our mission. 53:43 Our mission is to share the three angles' messages 53:46 with those in this community 53:47 and we believe in a special sense 53:49 with those all around the world. 53:52 On Thursday, we have the first administrative action 53:56 of the early Christian church 53:58 that of appointing a successor for Judas Iscariot. 54:02 It talks about how they gathered together 54:03 in the upper room, and they pray, 54:05 and they select two individuals, 54:07 and they do something a little unconventional, 54:09 probably something that we wouldn't do 54:10 at a nominating committee, 54:11 but after selecting two individuals, 54:13 they pray, and then they cast lots, 54:16 and they chose one of the individuals, 54:18 Matthias to be a replacement for Judas Iscariot. 54:21 Some people sometimes ask, "Well, if it worked for them, 54:24 shouldn't we be doing the same thing? 54:26 Shouldn't our nominating committee get together 54:29 every two years during nominating time, 54:32 and just pick a bunch of names, 54:34 and then start casting lots 54:35 to see who's going to be the personal ministry's director, 54:38 who's going to be the deacon or whatnot." 54:39 Is that the way we need to work today? 54:42 Well, probably not. 54:44 The casting of lots was a traditional method 54:47 of finding out God's will during Old Testament times. 54:50 It wasn't new in the Book of Acts. 54:52 But what we do find is after the Holy Spirit 54:55 came upon the disciples in Pentecost, 54:57 we don't have any further reference 54:59 of church leadership ever casting lots 55:01 to determine what God's will is 55:04 rather through prayer and supplication 55:06 and the study of the word 55:08 that were guided by the Holy Spirit 55:10 in doing what God's will is. 55:12 So it wouldn't appropriate for us today 55:14 to cast lots to try and figure out 55:16 what God wants us to do 55:17 rather we should spend time in the Word, 55:19 spend time in prayer, and then take godly counsel, 55:24 and then follow the leadings of prophets. 55:26 As a matter of fact, this maybe a good thing for us 55:28 to end on this morning, 55:29 how can you individually know God's will for your life? 55:32 First of all, to the law and to the prophets 55:35 if they speak not according to this, 55:36 there is no light in them. 55:38 We need to study the Word 55:39 to know is this really what the Bible 55:42 or what God would want me to do, 55:43 does this contradict a statement 55:45 or a commandment in the scripture. 55:47 I remember as a young pastor, 55:48 I had a new convert come to me, and he was very sincere, 55:52 and he said, "Pastor, please pray, 55:54 I just bought a lottery ticket, 55:57 and I want you to pray that I win the lottery." 55:59 He said, "It will be great blessing for the church." 56:02 And I believe God can do all things. 56:05 I had to say, "Brother, 56:06 let me explain to you a few things. 56:09 God's not going to help you win the lottery 56:11 because gambling is against the Word of God, right? 56:15 There is some other way that God wants you to seek 56:18 in order to meet your ends and be a blessing to others." 56:21 So the first thing we do is confer with scripture. 56:24 Secondly, we want to spend some time in prayer. 56:27 And it's appropriate if we're making 56:28 a big decision in my life to speak to fellow believers 56:31 and say, "You know what, this is the situation. 56:33 Could you pray with me and for me 56:35 that God would give me a sense of peace 56:37 to know which direction He has me to go?" 56:40 And the thirdly, seek godly counsel, 56:43 speak to those who you know, 56:44 love the Lord and say, "What do you think?" 56:47 And then thirdly or finally, fourthly, 56:49 follow the providence of God, 56:51 follow the doors that God opens. 56:53 If you sincerely seek in the will of God, 56:55 God is not going to leave you astray, right? 56:58 If you sincerely pray and say, 57:00 "Lord, not my will be done, Thy will be done," 57:02 and you humble your hearts, trust that God will lead. 57:05 And if you happen to be going the wrong way, 57:08 believe that God has the power to redirect you 57:11 and set you on the right path. 57:13 Take God at His word 57:14 and He will lead and guide in your life. 57:17 Well, that's our study for today, 57:19 chapter 1 of the Book of Acts, 57:21 just a great start to this book, 57:23 I'm looking very forward to the next upcoming lessons 57:25 dealing with the Book of Acts. 57:27 For our friends who are joining us, 57:28 just a reminder about free offer today. 57:31 We do have a book. 57:32 It's entitled The Holy Spirit The Need. 57:33 It goes along with our study. 57:35 If you'd like to receive a copy of the book, 57:37 give us a call on our resource phone line, 57:39 that's 866-788-3966 57:42 and you can ask for offer number 723. 57:45 Or if you would like to receive a digital copy of the book, 57:48 you can text the following code 57:50 "SH099" to the number 40544, 57:55 and you'll receive a link 57:57 where you can download the book The Holy Spirit The Need. 58:00 Until next time, may God richly bless you. |
Revised 2018-07-16