The Book of Acts | Lesson 8
Notes
Transcript
I. THE HOLY GHOST
I. THE HOLY GHOST
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
A. Acts 2:4 tells us what being born of the Spirit is.
A. Acts 2:4 tells us what being born of the Spirit is.
And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
1. If you received the Holy Ghost you have been born-again as Jesus said!
1. If you received the Holy Ghost you have been born-again as Jesus said!
For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
2. Being born-again of the Spirit you now have HOPE!
2. Being born-again of the Spirit you now have HOPE!
There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
3. When I’m born-again I am born into the body of Christ.
3. When I’m born-again I am born into the body of Christ.
Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
B. The Holy Ghost is called the Spirit of Truth.
B. The Holy Ghost is called the Spirit of Truth.
And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
C. Tongues was did not only happen at the initial outpouring of the Holy Ghost, but at each of them!
C. Tongues was did not only happen at the initial outpouring of the Holy Ghost, but at 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.
For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,
And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
1. It is for ALL believers.
1. It is for ALL believers.
And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
2. Paul talked in tongues often!
2. Paul talked in tongues often!
I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all:
II. The Confounding
II. The Confounding
And there 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.
A. Many Jews had come from other places to celebrate the Feast of Pentecost.
A. Many Jews had come from other places to celebrate the Feast of Pentecost.
B. Confounded: Confused. Of an assembly or multitude thrown into confusion.
B. Confounded: Confused. Of an assembly or multitude thrown into confusion.
Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.
C. At the Tower of Babel God confused their tongues to separate them.
C. At the Tower of Babel God confused their tongues to separate them.
1. At Pentecost God brought a Church together by the gift of Tongues. (An Apostolic Church.)
1. At Pentecost God brought a Church together by the gift of Tongues. (An Apostolic Church.)
2. The Holy Ghost brings men back together—what God separated at Babel.
2. The Holy Ghost brings men back together—what God separated at Babel.
3. We are born-again into His body—we now speak a Heavenly language unto God.
3. We are born-again into His body—we now speak a Heavenly language unto God.
4. Many today are receiving the Holy Ghost—we must remember that the Holy Ghost is given to bring us into unity, to lead us, to guide us, and to direct us into Truth.
4. Many today are receiving the Holy Ghost—we must remember that the Holy Ghost is given to bring us into unity, to lead us, to guide us, and to direct us into Truth.
III. Noised abroad.
III. Noised abroad.
A. A real work of God will always be noised abroad.
A. A real work of God will always be noised abroad.
And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
1. The term Galilean was used as an expression of the deepest reproach and contempt.
1. The term Galilean was used as an expression of the deepest reproach and contempt.
2. The Galilean’s were usually ignorant, rude, and uncivilized.
2. The Galilean’s were usually ignorant, rude, and uncivilized.
3. It’s through the unusual that God gets the attention of those around!
3. It’s through the unusual that God gets the attention of those around!
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
B. Don’t judge the messenger—judge his message, whether it be true.
B. Don’t judge the messenger—judge his message, whether it be true.
And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,
Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,
Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.
1. Men from every nation under heaven.
1. Men from every nation under heaven.
a. People from all over the known world.
a. People from all over the known world.
2. Most of them probably knew Greek—But they also spoke the various languages of the Mediterranean world.
2. Most of them probably knew Greek—But they also spoke the various languages of the Mediterranean world.
3. Everyone heard them speak in his own language.
3. Everyone heard them speak in his own language.
4. This was a sign from heaven—a supernatural event.
4. This was a sign from heaven—a supernatural event.
a. The Wonderful Works of God.
a. The Wonderful Works of God.
b. Note: They did not hear preaching but praising God’s mighty works.
b. Note: They did not hear preaching but praising God’s mighty works.
c. Hearing them speak in tongues the wonderful works of God did not make one person ask the question—“…Men and brethren, what shall we do.”
c. Hearing them speak in tongues the wonderful works of God did not make one person ask the question—“…Men and brethren, what shall we do.”
d. But the preaching of Peter moved them to ask this question.
d. But the preaching of Peter moved them to ask this question.
Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
5. Not everyone that speaks in tongues speaks in a known language.
5. Not everyone that speaks in tongues speaks in a known language.
a. A scriptural answer to show that everyone does not speak in a known language when they receive the Holy Ghost!
a. A scriptural answer to show that everyone does not speak in a known language when they receive the Holy Ghost!
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, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?
For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.
So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding.
Otherwise when you are praising God in the Spirit, how can someone else, who is now put in the position of an inquirer, say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since they do not know what you are saying?
C. Confounding brings accusations
C. Confounding brings accusations
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.
1. Whenever God moves you can be sure that satan will try to destroy it—usually the same way he always uses—doubt.
1. Whenever God moves you can be sure that satan will try to destroy it—usually the same way he always uses—doubt.
2. It is interesting that God uses what satan tries to destroy with, to counter with.
2. It is interesting that God uses what satan tries to destroy with, to counter with.
But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
a. Peter uses their doubt (satan’s attack) for the beginning of
his sermon.
a. Peter uses their doubt (satan’s attack) for the beginning of
his sermon.
For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
3. New wine.
3. New wine.
a. This word properly means the juice of the grape which distills before pressure is applied.
a. This word properly means the juice of the grape which distills before pressure is applied.
b. It was sweet wine.
b. It was sweet wine.
c. The ancients, it is said, had the art of preserving their new wine with the peculiar flavor before fermentation for a considerable time, and were in the habit of drinking it in the morning.
c. The ancients, it is said, had the art of preserving their new wine with the peculiar flavor before fermentation for a considerable time, and were in the habit of drinking it in the morning.
d. The Holy Ghost is a fresh, or new, experience. This is something that we should be renewing and nurturing EVERY DAY!
d. The Holy Ghost is a fresh, or new, experience. This is something that we should be renewing and nurturing EVERY DAY!
e. This is exactly what Jesus came to proclaim.
e. This is exactly what Jesus came to proclaim.
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; Because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all that mourn;
To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, To give unto them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they might be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.