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We pray our loving God and our Father, we are before Thee, Thy precious Word, to be opened and read in its blindly inspired pages. You know Thou hast given us from Thyself, through those inspired Penman, that which is needful for our souls in the formation of our lives here, for Thy glory and the glory of Thy beloved Son.
And so we pray, as we 10 you in this portion of acts, to that thou art give us, at which would settle and establish our souls.
Present truth and encourage us in the path of faith, that we might be here for the glory of our blessed Savior, Thy beloved Son. And we would ask it, our God and Father, for His glory, and in His alone, precious and worthy name the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.
Maybe pick up from verse three again and read the same portion. I know if this is the last reading we might have to go more of an outline form but.
Acts chapter 2, verse three. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues, like as a fire, and it sat upon each of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And they were dwelling at Jerusalem. Jews, devout men out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language, and they were all amazed and marveled, saying one to another.
Behold, are not all these which speak Galileans, and house here we every man in his own tongue wherein we were born.
Parthians and Medes, Elamites and the dwellings of Mesopotamia and Enthrigea in Cappadocia and Pontius and Asia, Fergia and Pamphylia in Egypt, in the parts of Libya roundabout, Cyreni and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Crates and Arabians. We do hear them speak in our own tongues and wonderful works of God. And they were all amazed and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this? Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.
But Peter standing up with the 11, lift up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words. For these are not drunken as ye suppose seen as, but the third hour of the day. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel. And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God. I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophecy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.
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And on my servants and on my can maidens, I will pour out of these days of my spirit, and they shall prophecy, and I will show wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath, blood and fire and vapors of smoke. The sun shall be turned Into Darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come. And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. He men of Israel, hear these words. Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs.
Which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know Him, being delivered by the determinant, council, and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain, whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death.
Because it was not possible that he should behold an oven. For David speaketh concerning him. I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for He is on my right hand that I should not be moved. Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad. Moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope, because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One, to seek corruption. Thou hast made known to me the way of life. Thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.
Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried in his sepulchre is with us. And to this day. Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God hath sworn with an oath to him, that the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne. He seen this before, spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did seek corruption. This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnessed.
Therefore, being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this which he now see and hear. For David is not ascended into the heavens, but he saith himself. The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, until I make thy foes for my foots whole. Therefore let all the House of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus, whom you have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
The Lord had told them they would testify of him, and so these tongues of fire are a sign of the Spirit of God indwelling them that appeared.
On the disciples are in connection with the thought of testimony, but their divided tongues, because the testimony was not going to just go to the Jew, but it was going to go to the Gentile as well as the Lord had told them, starting in Judea, Jerusalem, but out to Samaria, and then on to the uttermost parts of the earth, so that testimony would extend far beyond the circle that they knew.
And indeed it did in time, but in circumstances of persecution and Stevens martyrdom. The disciples later were scattered and went everywhere taking the word of God and preaching with him. Up to that point it was really chiefly the 12 That bore witness there in Jerusalem and Judea and had the the responsibility.
And privilege of bearing that testimony. This is not the baptism of fire.
That John spoke of Speaking of the Lord coming, whose shoe latch that he was not worthy to unloose, that he would baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire. This is not the baptism of fire. That is for a coming day, because he'll have his fan in his hand, as the Scripture says, and thoroughly purges floor, and he'll burn the chaff with unquenchable fire. That's a coming day of judgment. I know it's popularly said that this was the baptism of fire.
As well as the Spirit of God, but that does not comport with scripture. So they would speak and they went out, and the Spirit of God manifested his power.
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In that testimony and that they spoke in all different languages the wonderful works of God.
I just suggest that that is similar to what you get in Acts 7 with Stephen.
Where he, at the beginning of what he says, he rehearses God's ways with Israel and the wonderful things that God had done for Israel. And so they gave out and they gave a testimony of the wonderful works of God. But then when Peter finally speaks, he really brings it home in the gospel, and he brings it home to heart and conscience, the wonderful works of God in themselves.
Didn't do that, but it was that which would resonate in the heart of every Jew that God had worked with them over many years and in different ways. So they speak in these various tongues. These are not, it's not gibberish.
It's human languages. There are those from all parts.
Of the earth if you follow these lands that are named around it's like the points of a compass it swings all the way from east all the way around to West down to the South it's like all points of the compass and.
They are accused and mocked by the men of Judea.
Who did not understand, having been born in Judea, did not understand those languages.
But those who came from all these different parts, Jews who were born in Gentile lands, spoke to these Gentile tongues. They also spoke Aramaic. That's what the Jews spoke in Judea. And so it's a display of the power of the Spirit of God. He doesn't do away with Babel, but he rises above it and reaching these souls. Well, when that's mocked, then Peter comes out and he draws from Old Testament scriptures.
What other scriptures did he have then? The Old Testament scriptures he draws from the book Prophet Joel to show that what they were seeing was indeed the power of the Spirit of God and nothing else. They had been accused of it being drunkenness, but it was not. And so they didn't understand those languages, but those who from were from these various countries did. But then he turns and he speaks.
An Aramaic which all would understand, and he takes up this prophecy of Joel.
And it's helpful to understand that when he says.
In verse 16. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel.
He's not saying this is the fulfillment of what was spoken by the prophet Joel, but this is the same character, the same kind of thing, and it's a proof that it was indeed the Spirit of God come down and displaying his manifesting his power in this testimony for Christ.
Then Steve, there's those who believe that he was speaking Aramaic or Hebrew, but it was they heard it in their own language.
Right. That that has and, and I'll have to be honest, I thought that at one time myself, but that would be a miracle in the ears of the unbelievers. That was not what was happening. It was a gift of the Holy Spirit.
Indwelling these believers and they were speaking in languages that they could not have spoken in before and was an understandable language.
Language is it was a miracle of the tongue and not of the ear.
Verse 11 makes that plain. We do hear them speak in our tongues.
The wonderful works of God.
Scripture says.
When it takes up an Old Testament, New Testament scripture says when it takes up an Old Testament scripture, if it's a fulfillment or not or even a partial fulfillment, it'll say then was fulfilled, then came to pass. And so the Spirit of God is very careful to distinguish as you go through that We might understand, he doesn't leave it for us to guess that we might understand when it's a fulfillment or when he is drawing on an Old Testament scripture to say it's like this.
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It's the same character.
Why does he? Why does he go into?
He go beyond and bring out all the prophecy in that.
Joel Was Joel's prophecy very much concerns?
Jerusalem and Judea.
And I don't want to take the time to go back through it, but it much concerns Jerusalem and Judea. So it was a very suitable prophet to draw from, because what does he start his address with? Ye men of Judea and ye that dwell at Jerusalem.
And so it was very suitable.
Why does he go on and speak of those things that are connected with judgment? Because they had rejected Messiah and the sword of judgment was hanging over that nation.
And so I believe he goes on to speak of that aspect of things and and includes that in what he quotes from Joel. Though those judgments will yet be taken up and fulfilled in a coming day in the tribulation. That will be their actual fulfillment.
But it will be for the same reason, because they rejected Christ. And so when the Lord quotes from Isaiah and he says this is the acceptable year of the Lord.
He leaves off the part of that same verse that says and the day of vengeance of our God, because it wasn't. And so you say, why wouldn't Peter do the same thing with Joel? Well, no, it's because he's really bringing before them their responsibility. When the Spirit of God descended on Christ at the River Jordan, it was in the bodily form as a dove.
And emblematic of his character and his ministry here, it's Tongues of Fire.
Why? Because the wrath of God is revealed against all ungodliness of men. And the gospel not only brings the message of salvation, but it brings the message that the 1St man has been judged at the cross, and the wrath of God is revealed against sin and fully shown there. And so it's tongues of fire because it has a message not only of salvation, but of judgment too. And so it's appropriate, I think, that he includes that aspect.
Of what he quotes from Joel.
We had a little bit of that yesterday. I don't know whether you were here, Brother Vern, but we have to remember, of course, as we said yesterday, that God was giving Israel one final opportunity to accept Christ as the Messiah, this time as a risen Christ in glory. And so the Spirit of God here in the second chapter does not go all the way.
Because.
If they had been willing, they could have accepted the gospel.
And avoided that judgment. And so the Spirit of God I suggest.
Includes it here, but doesn't carry it right to its logical conclusion. You don't get that until Paul's ministry comes in after Israel had rejected this wonderful message from a risen Christ in glory. And as you brought out and others too. They stoned Stephen as it were saying we're sending a messenger after you, Lord. We don't want to be irreverent, but just saying in case you didn't get the point.
We're making sure. And after that we see the nation of Israel gradually drifting more into the background.
And then Pulse, or rather Saul of Tarsus, is saved and raised up to go forth in a totally different character with a the same message, but with new revelations that came in through him.
Satan worked and the heart of man was revealed the the apostle brings their guilt before them. But Satan, you might say, I would don't know what was all in his line. How can I know that? But I think he thought he had a victory when the Lord Jesus was put on that cross and died buried.
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He thought he had a victory. Oh, but three days later, the Lord raised from the dead.
He was raised from the dead.
He had gone down into death, defeated death, and was raised again.
And then he went back to heaven and Satan said, well, good riddance, at least he's not here. He can stay in heaven.
And that was a victory for him, too.
The day of Pentecost comes.
And Christ was here again. He's here again because as the Spirit of God came and united those believers to Christ in heaven, the body of Christ was formed on this earth, and Christ was here again. And though it was a number of years before the believers knew what had happened, Satan was not.
So long before he was aware of exactly it, what taken place, and he set about to attack it. And so he thought he got rid of Christ.
But here he is again, in this world, in his members.
And we are united to Christ in heaven by that indwelling spirit of God.
And when the head gives direction to the body, if you're one upon a nail and a piece of wood, your hat, your head says to your hand.
Pick up the hammer, strike the nail, and guess what? If I watch you do that, I can tell what's in your head.
You're saying I'm going to pound this nail in this piece of wood and as by the Spirit of God, our head in heaven gives direction through his body who is displayed in this world, the head Christ. Christ is displayed in this world and that Satan hates that and he has set about to attack it and so is the book of Acts unfolds. We'll find his attacks rise because that is what had taken place.
The disciples didn't know that.
Well, he's been pretty successful over the years and especially in the hands of man and the failure of this testimony and responsible man's hands. Nonetheless, the truth of that still abides in the scriptures. We're not going that direction are incumbent upon us to walk according to that truth of what took place on the day of Pentecost and all that flows from it.
Can I ask, can I ask a question? I don't want to get on a I don't want to take the rest of the hour. I don't want to take the rest of the hour of answering this question, but I think it's a relevant question. I'm going to point this question to Steve because a lot of us have friends that believe that they're missing out because they're not speaking in tongues. So I have friends that are not gathered with us. They're not in this room, so don't look around.
And they're wanting to know. They think they're missing out because they're not able to speak in tongues.
I had one young man that works with me and he said, you know, my dad's church, they speak in tongues, but he says when I listen to the gibberish and then I.
Listen to the man, the same man who just spoke in tongues a quote UN quote jibber. Then he translates himself what he just said and he says that's not what First Corinthians 14 says.
My other friend says I think I'm missing out. I'm not able to speak because in First Corinthians 14 it says that that is.
That Paul says he'd like to speak in tongues. I can speak in tongues more than y'all, so I know that's not what First Corinthians 14 means, but Christensen or Christensen?
Christianity.
Let me start over. The word of God, I do not believe, does not teach that. Where did that come from? Why is there this thing where they look at we're not able to speak in tongues, we're missing out on something and how can somebody take this chapter right here? Because every single time they're connecting the verse that was just read that you explained, Steve, with First Corinthians 14.
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And saying, see, that is speaking in tongues. You're missing out. You're misinterpreting this scripture to me, Ted.
Confusing question, I don't know.
No, it's not a confusing question.
I believe Peter says in his epistle, the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man for the common prophet.
And one thing we see in the truth of the body of Christ that there is diversity.
Long before people in the western world thought it was a cool thing to foist on everyone in their view of it.
In companies today, there's a vice president of diversity and all of that stuff. God was way ahead and there is diversity of operations. So the Spirit of God operating in you will operate differently than in me because one member differs from another in the body of Christ. And so those that had the gift of tongues.
Uh, where to, where to use it in a orderly, controlled way because God is not the offer of confusion, author of confusion. And so there are checks in the, when the assembly is gathered together, as we have in First Corinthians 12 and 14, that if any man speak in tongues, there is to be an interpreter. So we've had people drive up to our meeting room and places I've lived and pull over and walk up and not be in the parking lot and say, do you all speak, allow speaking in tongues? And I, when I'm asked, I say, we certainly do.
But I said, but there needs to be an interpreter. If there's no interpreter, then we're not to speak in tongues because the, the, the end result, the object is edification. And without an interpreter, a translator, there is no edification. And so to me it seems clear that that the gift of tongues was not universal. At the end of First Corinthians 12, the apostle asked a rhetorical question.
He says in verse 29, are all apostles? Of course not. Are all prophets? No. Are all teachers? No. Are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? It's a rhetorical question and the answer is no. Even in our chapter in Acts chapter 2, it says in verse four they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, but then it says began to speak with other tones.
I don't assume that every single one of them was speaking in tongues. That's just my way of looking at the passage in my English Bible, because that would have been a lot of people speaking at once. But we know that there were a lot of languages being spoken and it's not gibberish. It is tongues. It is understandable languages that are were active amongst these people in that day. So I, I hope that addresses the question.
Ted.
But you're the judge of that.
OK, so the only thing I 100% agree, they tell me that speaking in tongues is different than this is what they told me this speaking in tongues. But Ted is different than speaking in this language because in First Corinthians 14 that's talking in gibberish. Where are they getting that? We know that's not true, but where are they getting this?
Let me suggest.
Ted that speaking in tongues is well known.
In different circles.
And I'm not at all suggesting that this is the case with the people you're talking to.
But it's well known that people can speak in tongues under demonic influence.
That's number one. And there are occasions when that does occur under the guise of Christianity. But most of what you are hearing in, and I don't want to label any particular group, but in Christian circles where it's not demonic power, it is, to put it bluntly, and we know what it is medically, it's simply the excitement of the autonomic nervous system under certain influences.
That gets people going into a state of ecstasy, much the same as hypnotism does. And of course there is a kind of hypnotism that is by demonic power, but a lot of it is not. It's used medically to try and get people to bring out things that perhaps they don't bring out in any other way. And there are those who are able by various Ways and Means to bring that out, and people get used to doing it.
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And they can bring themselves into that kind of a state. The difficulty is #1.
Most of the time they start to activate ridiculous now and then it's just gibberish, but then it gets to be carrying on in an unseemly way and sprawled all over the floor and all this kind of thing. And very, very, very, very loud. I don't want to be funny, but it was. When Bhutan banned the practice of any religion except Buddhism, many Christians went underground. And it was usually a certain group that got apprehended by the police every time because.
Their meetings were so noisy and upsetting that everybody knew who they were and what they were doing.
But it was not demonic in most cases. It was simply getting themselves worked up to the point where then this gibberish with a little came out and then somebody would even try and interpret. But then somebody tested them out and said, OK, no, I'm going to bring in another interpreter that didn't hear the first interpreter. And of course they couldn't agree. The 2nd interpreter interpreted in a totally different way. There was no correlation.
And so the whole thing is really quite a fraud, but man likes it because it's all an excitement from within that causes all of that. And that's where most of it is coming from. And it can be very definitely shown.
People can be induced to get into that kind of a trance, and sometimes they get so used to it that they can do it themselves.
And then of course, they're persuaded somehow that this is the Spirit of God, but it very definitely is not. They will also use this one. They first verse of 13 burn not finished yet. Oh, I'm sorry, go easy.
The point, the point is that we see this a lot and people think that it's the Spirit of God and they don't realize, in some cases really what is happening to them. They don't know what it is.
But it's kind of a state of ecstasy they work themselves into and then.
Man likes that, man likes that kind of thing, but it's man made.
And the important thing to realize is that when these signed gifts were given.
They were given by the Spirit of God.
In order to confirm the word, because this was something new. And so I like what Bruce said. If someone comes to me and says you do you believe in speaking in tongues? I say I certainly do. But I expect you to follow the guidelines in the Word of God. And if you don't, then I don't think it's of God. And most of what you see out there today does not support the word of God and does not follow the guidelines.
Which Paul gave later on to show how they were to be used and in the right way.
OK, very good. I'm sorry I interrupted you. But they'll use the first verse of 13 and this is what it says. Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, they say this is angels language, but in Scripture angels never spoke anything except language that men could understand.
I'd like to make a few remarks on 1St Corinthians 14 because I to me it's where it explains.
Is better than anywhere else the answer to the question, and so I'd like to make a few remarks about what Paul's saying in First Corinthians 14.
I'll go right to the root of the matter, he says in verse 22. Tongues are for a sign.
Not to them that believe.
But to them that believe not.
That is, this gift was given for the purpose.
Of communicating.
To those who did not know the language.
Of Jerusalem.
So that they would have the testimony given to them.
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Anyone who?
If you will, wants to be fulfilled and Speaking of in tongues and so on.
The first question that can be asked to them is, is there someone you know in a language that you do not know and that they do not have the word of God in that language that needs that gift to be used so that they can hear it?
There are very few languages in the world that don't have the word of God. And consequently, if it's a matter of communication in the day in which we live, we have what they didn't have on the day of Pentecost. And that is the word of God and the full explanation of it. And so today he says to such well, some at that point in Corinth had the gift, but they didn't have anywhere to use it.
And so he answers the question for them about their use of the gift that they had in verse 28. If there be no interpreter for what you want to say, keep silent.
You can't use it even if you have it because you're not fulfilling its purpose. It was assigned to those that did not have the word and the message that was already explained early in the meeting.
Of those in the various places that were in Jerusalem, from other places, and it was a distinct gift that could be given.
To meet their need and it was met that need. And so Paul says to those I have the gift. I have multiple languages that I have been given the gift of tongues to use. But he said I don't use it in the assembly because that's not the purpose of it. He says I use it and I'm going to give it to you at verse 14.
For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.
What is it then? I will pray with the Spirit, I will pray with understanding. I will sing with the Spirit. I will sing with the understanding also. And he goes on to say verse 19 in the church. I had rather speak 5 words with my understanding, then I might teach others than 10,000 words in an unknown tongue. In other words, the purpose of communication is understanding.
And if the use of it doesn't promote fulfill that purpose, it's not to be used even if you had it. And consequently the person that says I need this, I want this in general, in fact almost every case, it's something they want for a display to themselves.
For us, the purpose for which God gave it. And God doesn't give us things.
That just are for ourselves if it's not a benefit to others. And all the gifts that are given in the church are given for the blessing and benefit of others, not ourselves only in personally. And so God gave that gift that it might be used for the blessing of others, but he doesn't. He's under no obligation to give the gift to someone that only wants it for their own use. So if you want to have that gift, I suggest you go somewhere in the world that doesn't have a Bible and speaks a tongue that's not known.
And then you ask the Lord to give you that gift, to reach that people.
And without prolonging the discussion, you'd agreed on that occasionally that still happens, doesn't it?
That's why I said it the way I said it. I don't believe we can say God doesn't, can't have that gift in use today if the circumstances according to His purpose of the gift are fulfilled. He has the power of the Spirit of God to give that gift to a soul to reach those who are unreached by the gospel.
And don't have the word of God that can be used for them.
Often when someone speak.
When people speak, there's a reason behind speaking.
In the Christian world, among Christendom, often if you listen to the way they preach or speak.
Whether it be in tongue or in other things, they want to glorify the speaker.
When the message is done, whereas we find that often when we speak, we glorify God or Lord Jesus Christ. So you can be the judge by listening to why they're doing it, who is to be glorified, and perhaps even to some extent they're going to be extra money to be raised because of whatever they're exhibiting.
00:40:27
Brother Don, could you explain verse two of chapter 14 in that life?
Somebody will have to be my interpreter. I can't hear.
Explain 14 two in that light. OK.
I think you can probably do it. I'll be glad to listen to you.
It starts the chapter that.
Verse 14 verse one is the preface to verse two. It says follow after love and desire, spiritual gifts. But the 1St and most important is rather that you may prophecy. Prophecy in the broad sense isn't simply telling the future.
Yes, that's a component of what we mean when we say prophecy we're talking about.
Someone who can tell us what's in the future and the Old Testament prophets did that. But through the Old Testament prophets and in a New Testament prophet, the even broader and more important aspect of it was they were Moses was a prophet. They were a voice of God to the people. And that's what the burden of the of the.
Gift of prophecy really is if the Lord gives it to someone is that they might be a God's voice to the people. And if a prophet really speaks and God is by the Spirit using that message, the receiving of the message is going to be very often God is speaking to me. That is, they can forget the person that's doing it and say God is speaking to me.
And use that for God uses that for their blessing.
And Paul begins the whole chapter with the thought that we should be motivated with God.
To be a voice for God, whether it's by prophecy, whether it's by speaking in tongues or some other gift that he gives to us that would be used as his communication channel for the good and blessing of another person. So he says he that speaketh in an unknown tongue, that is to those who receive it or hear it, it's useless.
Because it can't fulfill its purpose of being a help to them, you know?
Bendito hermanos muy bien que estamos aqui and este tarde para blar le Las cosas de dios castanaki and este momento. OK, I said those words to to you. There's a certain subset of you in the room that immediately could relate to whatever I said, and probably the imperfect imperfection of it.
As to its words, however, there is a certain, probably larger set of you in the room that I was speaking in an unknown tongue and it was of absolute no benefit to you. You got nothing out of it. And that's what he says. He that speaketh an untone tongue speaketh not to men. Yes, you can say I'm speaking to God. Are you going to teach Him something? You're going to use your ability to use an unknown tongue to explain some things so God can understand them.
Does he need you to use that gift to talk to him so that he is as it were?
Unto God, No, it's a mystery in that way. It doesn't fulfill its purpose.
And so and again it's.
That God gives these things for a purpose, but he doesn't give them, and he's not obligated to give them.
If that purpose cannot be fulfilled through the instrument to whom he would give it.
Those who teach these things will turn these verses on their head and make it a positive affirmation. They will say, and they do.
00:45:10
In verse 4 where it says he that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself, they will turn and say we're supposed to build ourselves up in our most holy faith.
They go back to verse two and they will save where he that speaketh an unknown tongue unknown to anyone listening speaketh not unto men but unto God, for no man understandeth him. How be it in the Spirit he speaketh mysteries. So their twist on this is that it's their prayer language, unique communication with God and they will connect it with the Spirit of God commuting, communicating with groaning's.
And they will put that together and say this is a time for.
Edifying oneself in a positive sense, and it's turning this on its head.
But that's the claim and teaching that is there, especially amongst those like the Assemblies of God organization and so forth. There's a unique piece of their history. When the Assemblies of God denomination was first getting going and they began to send missionaries overseas, they fully believed that they wouldn't have to train them in the foreign languages. But very quickly they discovered as they went overseas, the Assemblies of God missionaries could not speak to these people.
Had to return home and learn the languages like everyone else. That does not mean that God cannot do that, but in the face of this teaching that was being put forth, God did not and they had to turn back home and learn the languages.
Such are not very often going to also read verse 28.
Because it doesn't support the self edification.
But in other words, God says, OK, if I give you the thing and you can't use it, you say you're edifying yourself, but you can't use it out loud with others because it's of no benefit. You're to be silent in the assembly.
So God often.
Gets to every aspect of man's arguments until man either accepts what God says or he ignores it because he doesn't want it.
In First Corinthians 13.
Eight, charity never faileth, but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail, whether there be tongues they shall cease. Whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. The force of those words. Fail, cease and vanish are different.
Fail and vanish mean in the original come to an abrupt.
Stop or excuse me? Yeah, fail and vanish. An abrupt stop.
Prophecy and knowledge are going to be needed until the Lord comes and when He comes.
That's the end. They're no longer needed tons. It says that they cease. And the force of that word is like the Brook sheriff where Elijah was. It dried up, it dwindled down, it finally petered out and dried up and that's the force of that tongues were going to dry up when?
A company is going to put a new building up.
And they start a construction site, they put a sign up front, future home of such and such corporation. That's a sign to those who are going by of what is taking place. When that building is built and they're doing business there, they don't need a sign that this is the future home of such and such corporation. They're there. And so they were signed gifts, proof that what was taking place that God was in it.
And this was indeed of God. But once the church was established and it was clear that it was of God, those signed gifts were no longer needed. And so they petered out. They were no longer needed. I would say to the, as our brother Don read that verse, they're assigned to the unbeliever. That is the chief and the foremost aspect of the signed gifts. Not even the communication of the gospel is the foremost.
00:50:04
Point, but a sign because Peter goes on to preach the gospel in a language that everyone knew.
Those tongues that they spoke in were not for the communication of the gospel in our chapter. They spoke the wonderful works of God. When I came to the communication of the gospel, he spoke in a language that everyone there knew. So they were given as a sign. They were a sign.
But he goes on to preach the gospel in the language that they all knew, so they filled their place. And again, we don't forbid God can do whatever He wants. He's sovereign.
But the need for them is pretty well gone in this world.
I have enjoyed the fact that when Peter comes to preach here.
As you say, Brother Steve, it's a distinctive message from the wonderful works of God.
It's the gospel spoken in a way that all could understand.
But in one sense, and I don't suppose many of those people had known the disciples well.
But here was perhaps the greatest miracle to see the difference in Peter.
Here were those disciples who accompanied with the Lord for 3 1/2 years.
And yet how difficult the Lord found it to make them understand things that He was trying to teach them.
And over and over again, for example, he told them that he had to go to the cross and suffer and die and be buried and rise again. They couldn't get it clear. And here was a man who had picked up his sword in the Garden of Gethsemane and gone after the high priest servant. Here was a man who later on denied the Lord with oaths and curses.
And yet, what happens on the Day of Pentecost?
Suddenly the Spirit of God gives him an intelligence.
That would have been unheard of even a few days before.
And in a coherent way, he gives the most clear explanation of what had happened, pulling Old Testament scriptures together and bringing them forward, making it clear as to the purposes of God. But the wickedness and responsibility of man involved in ties it all together in a beautiful way. For those that had ears to hear, whoever they might have been, this was really perhaps the greatest miracle to show.
What the Spirit of God could do once he indwelt an individual.
And of course, it had happened to some degree in the Old Testament. The Spirit had come on.
Profits from time to time who were able to speak from the Lord and give a direct message as dawn was bringing out. But this was something even more wonderful because it was a new message, a message of forgiveness for an entire nation that had rejected and crucified their Messiah and bringing together the sovereignty of God, the responsibility of man.
Only the Spirit of God could do that.
An example of that is in Matthew 16.
After the beautiful confession Peter made, it says there that the Lord Jesus.
Began to tell them that he was going to Jerusalem to be rejected by the priests and elders.
He would be crucified, buried and raised the third day and Peter takes him aside to rebuke him. Think of it and the Lord has to rebuke Peter but here in Acts chapter two he weaves together these things that are beyond our full understanding to take in the counsel of God in his sovereignty. Verse 23 he was delivered by the determinant counsel and foreknowledge of God that's.
That's the understanding that Peter had through the Spirit of God.
And then he goes on also by the Spirit of God, to point the arrow to their consciences ye have taken, and by wicked hands crucified and slain. These two things are woven together throughout the Scriptures from beginning to end. God acting in sovereignty, but taking up and holding man accountable in responsibility. They're woven together all through as a thread through the ways of God with man.
00:55:14
Darren Matthew, 16, he said Upon this rock I will build my church.
My assembly and the gates of hell really should be. Hades shall not prevail against it.
So often that's taken that all the powers of Satan and demonic forces will not prevail against the assembly. That's not what that means. The gates of hell. It means the state of really, it means death. The state where the spirit and soul are separate from the body is Hades, whether it's a place of blessing or a place of torment.
Context determines that, but it's very strictly speaking. The soul and the spirit separate from the body is Hades, the gates of Hades.
Will not prevail against the assembly. Why? Because he went down into Jeff.
His spirit and soul were separate from his body, and his body was laid in that new tomb. But God raised him from the dead, and he's defeated death.
Rise triumphant over, and death will not prevail against his assembly, because even if every member went into death, they will all.
Be raised again just like him and so when it says here and he quotes.
From the 16th Psalm, because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell.
Neither wilt thou suffer, thy Holy One, to see corruption. It's the same word, the teaching that the Lord somehow went down into hell.
Place of torment, of judgment is not true, but that's very popular. We had a man come into the Vessel meeting room several weeks ago, sat down a Sunday school, thought he would like to take part, and it's one of the first things that came out of his mouth.
No, the Lord did not go down into the lake of fire.
As is commonly taught, he went into death, but he has defeated death.
And it will not prevail against his assembly, because it's founded on Christ dead.
And risen and glorified.
We think of Hades as a state rather than a place. That makes everything clear, doesn't it? Now it mentions the gates of Hades. That's AI don't know what to call it. A poetic term. A term that refers to a state but at the same time recognizes the power of it by mentioning the gates. But it is not.
Normally a place. The only thing I would just point out briefly is that when we come later on in the New Testament, yes, the Lord in one sense was in Hades because he was in the condition of a soul without a body when he was in the tomb. But when it talks about a believer who goes into death, I don't believe there is a single instance when it refers to the believer as being in Haiti's. Why not? For the very reason.
That Steve mentioned and that is that death has been enough and so where does the believer go when he leaves this world Yes, his body is put into a grave but where does he go He goes to be with the Lord. He's not just in a state of a soul without a body. He goes to be with the Lord so the scripture emphasizes the the Hades part of it with the Lord because.
It shows us that he went into death on our part when the Lord spoke to the thief on the cross.
He didn't say to day shalt thou be with me in Hades. Strictly speaking it would have been true, but the Lord says to day shalt thou be with me in Paradise.
In verse 23 says him being delivered by the determinant counsel and foreknowledge of God. We have the gospel. It wouldn't be okay for God to just say, well, sin doesn't matter, we're just going to gloss over it. The world knows that that would be injustice. Sin has to be paid for. And here's this glorious one who leaves his place in the heavens and he comes down into this world and he becomes a man. And we read that often.
01:00:13
In Philippians 2 and we just read over it, just like, will this happen? Did this happen? I go to the outside door and I walk outside. He became a man. He took on human flesh.
In order to come and remedy our need, he says, Ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain. We heard the sovereignty of God, the responsibility of man, Verse 24. Whom God hath raised up.
Having loosed the pains of death because it was not possible that he should be holding of it. And that's our hope. That's our hope. It's in him. It's not in a, it's not in a creed. It's not in a, in, in a prayer that we pray. It's in Jesus. And he's alive right now. He's a man forever on high in the glory and he's beyond death. He can't be touched by it. These ones, as our brother mentioned, they were fearless. You can't teach the gospel. You can't preach the gospel. He said we're going to preach the gospel.
If you kill us, we're going to do it anyway.
How can that be? Because they were delivered from the power of the fear of death? Because Jesus was beyond it. And the thing that comes to the conclusion here in verse 35.
Let all the House of Israel know assuredly that God hath made this same Jesus.
Whom you have crucified, both Lord and Christ. And dear beloved brothers and sisters.
We have a responsibility. God is giving the gospel of the grace of God that we can be made free, that we can walk in light and love.
And there is a response because of what he's done, we can't just sit here and fold our hands and say, yeah, whatever.
He has stepped into this world to redeem us and there is a response that is required.
It says God hath made him both Lord and Christ.
One more comment on that responsibility that our brother just talked about. We know that when the Lord Jesus went to heaven, he was no longer in the world and the work that he was doing here among men ceased from his own work. And we've had in the last couple of days how as he went home to the glory and was glorified as a man there, He sends the Holy Spirit that we've had but.
In connection with what's just been said, he's also said to us, I'm not here to be the light anymore. You are the light of the world. And so if the world is to see the light and testimony of God, he as it's brought out in Revelation 2 and three where he's evaluating how well we're doing our job. He tells us that you're the light of the world. And also if you're not going to fulfill that.
Responsibility properly, I will replace you and that's going to be the end of the day of the church. It will have to be replaced because it hasn't fulfilled its responsibility as God had given it to it. So if we sit on our hands and say, well, God's going to do his work and everything's going to turn out all right, I don't need to do anything. That's in direct contradiction to what God said the church was in the world for. And that is we individually too are to be the light of the world.
He puts that light in us when we receive the message of the gospel. He gives us the life of Christ, and then He makes us responsible to make it known to our fellow man for His blessing.
The Spirit of God coming takes in so many different aspects of the believers life.
In John's gospel, the Lord told the woman at the well that the water that he would give her would be a well of water springing up into eternal life. And he's Speaking of the gift of the Spirit there. And the Spirit of God indwelling you and I is the power for worship.
The worship of God in the Spirit, according to the truth of God.
01:05:00
Then in Chapter 7 he says of those that would receive the Spirit, out of their belly shall flow rivers of living water. He is the power for testimony and communication to others of our enjoyment of Christ and divine things. We see Him coming here in the day of Pentecost and dwelling these believers the power of testimony to a risen Christ.
And the gospel going out in this world, outside of that, there's no power for worship, there is no power for communication to others. There is no power in the testimony to a risen Christ here in this world. He formed the body of Christ. It's the display of Christ in this world, Paul said in Colossians, Christ in you, the hope of glory, the display of Christ in this world collectively in his members.
Christ in you the hope of glory.
And so he is here as the Comforter too. He comes not only in dwelling them, but as the divine administrator of all their affairs.
And I'm I know I'm only touching the beginning of all the things that the Spirit of God is.
But in every aspect of our Christian life, it's vital. It's vital.
Did we sing 231?
01:10:17
First Peter, chapter 5, verse 10.
But the God of all grace.
Who had called us onto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus. After that he had suffered a while. Make you perfect.
Establish, strengthen, settle you. To Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. close in prayer.
Our loving God and our Father, we again thank thee for thy beloved Son. We thank Thee, Lord Jesus, for coming here as a man and giving myself.
For going to Calvary's cross so that we could be saved.
You think of how that would rise from the dead on the third day.
Then we've read in Acts One and Acts 2, the early part of the church period. We thank thee, Lord Jesus, that thou didst go back to heaven. Thou hast glorified there now aren't soon going to come.
And receive us unto thyself, but in the meantime, our God and Father.
We are alive in a world where we do have difficulty in trial and temptations too. And we just thank Thee for this time that we've had Thy word, our God, open before us to encourage us along the little time that's left and help us to be a testimony, each one of us, in the place that Thou has put us. And so we now would just pray for direction in our lives that we might obey Thy word.
That we might go on for thy honor and glory.
That we may be established in the truth of God, that we may Lord Jesus, be happy and fruitful and a blessing to others. Now we just pray that thou bless our time of fellowship together, that the times between the meetings may be for encouragement for each one of our souls as we minister Christ to one another. And so we give thanks to our God for thy beloved Son, and we pray in his most worthy, precious name, Amen.
Amen.