Living Waters of Grace 09.17.25

This is Living Waters of Grace, the teaching ministry of Clark

Wofford, senior pastor of Calvary Chapel of Westmoreland,

County of Greensburg, PA. Now here's Pastor Clark as he

continues teaching through God's Word.

If anyone has not the Spirit of Christ, the Holy Spirit, he is

not in his. So you cannot be a Christian

without the Holy Spirit. Some people might say, well,

have you received the Holy Spirit since you believe?

And we'll read this later on in Acts.

Well, I received the Holy Spirit when I got saved.

I passed from death to life, and I knew that I wasn't

disbelieving something intellectually.

I knew something happened to me supernaturally, internally, and

I knew that God now dwelt with me and lived with me.

The Holy Spirit's presence is like a heartbeat, vital to your

life as a Christian. In today's message, Pastor Clark

conveys how Scripture declares that without the Spirit of

Christ, you cannot belong to Him.

You might hear some ask if you've received the Spirit since

believing, but you know He entered when you were saved.

That moment wasn't just intellectual.

It was a supernatural shift moving you from death to life.

You felt God's presence dwell within you, transforming you

internally. Now here's Pastor Clark in the

book of Acts Chapter 2 with today's edition of Living Waters

Acts 2 · chapter mention

of Grace. And then it says in verse 4 and

they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak

with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Now the Greek word for the idea of tongues.

And also in verse 6, we'll get there in a minute when it talks

about them hearing the people, hearing these guys and gals

speaking in language was from the Greek word where we get our

word linguistic, we get our word.

I forget the word that slips my mind now, but it's the word that

means language. And so this was not babbling.

This was not something that was unable to be discerned as far as

what it meant as we continue here.

This is literally a gift that they were given to proclaim the

greatness of God in the midst of all the people that would hear

them. This was something too that they

weren't doing themselves. It was the Spirit, the Holy

Spirit that was giving them this utterance to do this.

And verse 5 and there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews,

devout men from every nation under heaven.

There had to be at least 15 different people groups from

various places as far as Iran and Egypt and, and the Roman

Empire and, and, and Greece and, and this on and on and on.

So there was all these people with these multiple languages

at, at this time in Pentecost visiting Jerusalem.

And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together and

they were confused because everyone heard them speak in his

own language. OK, this was not in Babel.

Like say I'm say I'm Greek and I'm there and I don't understand

Hebrew, but I'm part of this crowd and I'm hearing some of

these people speaking in fluent Greek.

The great acts of God throughout the Old Testament in the Bible,

the Testament wasn't written yet.

So they would be proclaiming the greatness of God's deliverance

from the, the bondage of Egypt and Pharaoh and all the things,

the great things that God had done.

And someone else would be there and, and, and no Italian or

someone else would be there and, and no some other Egyptian

language or whatever. So the word I was looking for

was dialects. OK, That's the Greek word of

that word, language, dialects. So they were speaking in various

dialects, OK, at one time, and it's a reversal.

What happened at the Tower of Babel when they decided to use

one language to build that tower to get up to God and sort of

control things was all based on pride.

And God had to disperse the crowd by giving them different

languages where all of a sudden they couldn't understand one

another, right? Well, in this instance, now

everybody is understanding the same message given by the Holy

Spirit through these various languages.

This is the real gift of tongues.

I mean, we'll get into other things down the road, but I

mean, if I'm going to have a language, a gift to speak in

tongues, Lord, give me Italian. I'd like to travel Rome and not

have to study and be able to just talk to people and give

them the gospel, right, Without having to study, you know, this

software, learning how to speak a foreign language.

I mean, I took, I took two years of Spanish in high school and I

all I can say is like buenas tarde or hostile luego coma, say

almost dead. And I know that one.

I'd learned how to order breakfast a little bit because

one time I had to go to Mexico. So I wanted to know how to order

pancakes and panaceas and that kind of stuff.

Caliente chocolate. I like that too, you know,

Anyway, it's a lot of work to know a language.

Well, these people were, I learned it in regard to these

languages. It wasn't God was looking down

and said, well, you already know Italians, so you're going to

proclaim the greatness of God in this language and you're no, it

was a supernatural manifestation of languages.

I talked to Mike Dawson one time and they're they spent many

years in the jungles. They're still there in the

jungles of Venezuela with the Anaman Indians.

He said, Clark, we prayed many times, Lord, give us a gift to

speak this language. It is brutal when you go into a

foreign country where there's no language and you have to point

at things forever to figure out, does that word mean tree or

branch or leaf? I mean, it's, it's, it takes a

while to eventually know the language and then to be able to

write the language down in the Bible, in the New Testament,

translate it. And but he told me one time an

interesting story. His father was a very pragmatic

man, very balanced in his theology, wasn't flying by the

seat of his pants. He knew the word, he knew doctor

and he understood what the Bible teaches regarding truth.

And one time he was sitting there talking to a witch doctor

trying to have a conversation, but there was no conversation

because he didn't understand Yanomano and the Yanomano Indian

didn't understand him, his language, but they were smiling

at each other and talking to each other.

Well, lo and behold, years later, when this witch doctor

became a Christian, he said, I'll never forget that one time

you and I were sitting down there by the river talking, and

you were telling me about Jesus. And I understood what you were

saying. And he said what he says.

Yeah, you were talking to me. The way you were communicating

somehow was translated to me in my language, even though you

were speaking something different.

Now that's only God. It only happened for a little

while, a little bit, but it was enough to touch that Indian's

heart and the Lord used it. I know missionaries I've talked

to for years, it's been years, you guys know, you study

language, you know to go to be a missionary.

And it wouldn't have been nice if you just would have been

given that gift and you can get on the plane the next day after

you were ready to go and just go give the gospel.

It doesn't work that way for some reason, but nonetheless in

Pentecost here, these are literal language languages.

This is not Babble. If you would have been there and

said, well, these people are drunk and we're going to see

what some of the people thought about what was happening here as

we study this together. The the crowds response.

And when they responded to this, it says in verse 5, and there

were dwelling in Jerusalem, Jews, devout men from every

nation under heaven. So it gives you the idea of all

these different people groups. And when this sound occurred,

the multitude came together and they were confused because

everyone heard them speak in his own language.

I mean, that would be wild, wouldn't it, just to be able to

hear every language at that particular time being spoken at

the same time. And it's only resonating with

people who are from that particular people group that

would understand. Someone over here is talking

Italian, but if I'm Greek, I'm just listening to the guy that's

speaking in Greek and I'm hearing what it is he's saying.

OK. And so it says in verse 7.

Then they were all amazed and they marveled, I should say.

So I would be amazed and marveling too.

I marvel and amazed reading this and they said to one another,

look, are not all those who speak Galileans?

I mean, they they only knew like one kind of dialect, the

Galileans. And how is it that we hear each

in our own language in which we were born?

That's the question. How in the world is this

happening? It's a miracle, the work of God,

the Holy Spirit. Parthians, that's the first

people group, and Meese from Persia and Elamites, those

dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontius in Asia,

Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya joining

Cyrene. Visitors from Rome, both Jews

and Proselytites, Cretian and Arabs, We hear them speaking in

our own tongues the wonderful works of God.

So they were able to witness of their faith in the God of

Abraham, Isaac and Jacob biblically through the language

to all these people who were in town at Pentecost to celebrate

the giving of the law. No one expected this to happen

except obviously our faithful God and those He told that this

was going to happen and why they had to wait.

But the world was not prepared for this at this time, nor were

they expecting this. I was listening to someone talk

about this particular section of scripture and they said Jesus

one time in the scriptures was they, they believe this could

have happened by the portico of Solomon with the big pillars

where it had a big expanse of, of, of space and cement where

people could congregate. And Jesus was over there one

time praying and walking around and, and you would have loved to

heard the conversation if you could.

But you know, he knew he was going to go to the cross and

die. He knew he was going to suffer.

He knew he was going to raise again from the dead.

But he probably walked around that room and that big area of

space. And this was praising his

father, saying it won't be too long before there'll be 3000

people here one day that will get saved by hearing the gospel

from the apostle Peter. So they were always and

perplexed saying to one another, whatever could this mean?

In verse 13, others mocking said they are full of new wine,

thinking that obviously they were drunk.

Importance of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost was the beginning of

this promise where Jesus said not only will the Holy Spirit be

with you, but He shall be in you.

OK Once you become a believer in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit

comes to indwell in you. You cannot be a believer without

the Holy Spirit. Sometimes people have different

positions on these subjects, but they're not found rooted in the

teaching of the Scripture. It tells us in Romans 8-9, if

anyone has not the Spirit of Christ, the Holy Spirit, He is

not His. So you cannot be a Christian

without the Holy Spirit. Some people might say, well,

have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed?

And we'll read this later on in Acts.

Well, I received the Holy Spirit when I got saved.

I passed from death to life. And I knew that I wasn't

disbelieving something intellectually.

I knew something happened to me supernaturally, internally.

And I knew that God now dwelt with me and lived with me.

And He promised he would never leave me or forsake me.

And now I've been a Christian for many years, and I learn

every day my need to continually be filled and influenced and

controlled by the Holy Spirit. When I get out of that control

of the power of the Holy Spirit, I'm not pleasing the Lord.

I want to be filled. I want to be controlled by the

Spirit of God so his love flows out of me, His joy, his peace,

his long-suffering, his goodness, his meekness, his

gentleness, his humility. This is what we need as God's

people, to be filled with God's Spirit and not to be filled with

ourselves, right? When we're filled with

ourselves, it's not a good story, right?

But when we're filled with God, it's wonderful because then we

can be instruments of his peace to other people.

We can all be ministers of the New covenant and bring life to

people by the giftings that God has given to each of us.

And so when we think about they, they mentioned new wine here

and, and Paul uses this illustration in in Ephesians

518, he says, do not be drunk with wine.

Where's an excess? And some of you have known, you

know, you've been inebriated in your life.

Hopefully that is not something that's a common occurrence

anymore. But have you become a believer?

You don't want to be drunk with wine, but you want to be filled

with the spirit. But it's not saying you can't

have a glass of wine, but it's saying not be under the control

and the influence of alcohol. OK.

Because when you're under the influence and control of

alcohol, you behave differently than whenever, whenever you're

influenced by God, right? I'm, I'm not asking you to test

that postulate, but it's true. I can tell you from my own

experience is a big difference in being filled with God and

being filled with alcohol. OK, The dynamics of what comes

out of your life is completely opposite opposition.

But anyway, do not be drunk with wine.

Whereas in excess could be filled with the spirit.

So we're commanded to be filled with the spirit.

It's not a suggestion. It's not well, a request.

Maybe, maybe not I, I, I don't feel like it today.

No, we need to be filled with the spirit and the idea is to

continually be filled because we leak.

We, it isn't like I get filled once I don't need any more power

of God's Spirit. I need to be constantly filled.

I need to have this thirst for God, this like this morning, I,

I was parched and I needed water.

Louis gave me some water and, and I, and I know when I need

water, I drink it, you know, I need some now.

And I want to know when I need to be filled with God's Spirit

too. I want to have that evidence

that I, I need to be filled. And when do I need to be filled?

Whenever I'm in a situation that I can't do anything in my own

strength, and that should be every second of my life.

I, I'm not filled with the spirit every second of my life,

I, I want to be. That's a desire, that's a goal.

Maybe as we grow in the grace and the knowledge of God, we're

more filled with him and less filled with us, right?

But the, there's always test. Everything's a test in life.

Am I under God's control today? Am I under God's control of my

home and my, my marriage and my relationship with my wife or my,

my, my children, my family, my am I under God's control when I

preach? When I am I under control of

God's Spirit when I'm driving? That's a real one to think

about, especially when you see the police with the, the lights

on behind you. If I was under the control of

the Spirit of God, I wouldn't be speeding, right?

Let's be honest, I got pulled over last week 'cause I was

speeding. I was praying, Lord, I prayed

it. The name I drop here will be of

some influence. I know, Officer such and such.

OK. He goes back to the car.

He probably called him up and said, you know, this character

by the name of Clark, you know? But fortunately, he let me go.

And I was grateful. But I said, Lord, forgive me for

not paying it. I wasn't like, I don't think

intentionally wanting to put the pedal to the metal, but I was

sort of this daydreaming when I was driving.

You ever do that and the next thing you know you're going much

faster than you should be and you suffer the consequences.

But the the whole idea is this idea of wine influence.

They think these guys are drunk. Paul teaches in the book of

Ephesians that the influence of alcohol has negative effects

when it's controlling us. That why we absolutely need to

be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit.

And so in verse 14 and Peter, he stands up with the 11 I I am

encouraged with this and Pastor Lewis, I'm sure is to anybody

that's called to preach the gospel.

He's calling people that he can work in their lives to perfect

them for the work of the ministry.

But he never looks down and says well, I'm going to wait till

such and such is perfect and then I might use them.

We know Peter, shortly before this incident, was denying the

Lord right? He denied him three times, and

now he's chosen by God, the Holy Spirit, to bring forth the first

evangelistic message after this experience of Pentecost.

That should really encourage all of us that Peter was used to do

something that was remarkable by the work of God's Spirit.

So Peter, standing up with the 11, raised his voice and said to

them, Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be

made known to you, and heed my words, for these are not drunk

as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day.

But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel.

Now this particular section of Scripture in Joel is beginning

to show forth the whole economy of God until the 2nd coming of

Christ, when he establishes His Kingdom and the millennial reign

in Jerusalem. That's when this section of

Scripture will be completely fulfilled at that particular

time. But there is indicators here

that this is the beginning of this movement of God in the last

days. And the last days begin from the

day of Pentecost until the day of Christ return.

So we've been in the last days for several thousand years.

So that's because a lot of stuff's going on right now in

the world does not mean literally that tomorrow Jesus is

coming. And these are the last days.

This last day, phenomena and experience of world insanity and

crisis and evil dictators and rulers and sin and all the other

things that comprise human existence have begun in Genesis,

but in the Church age, they began at Pentecost.

The last days before Christ's second coming will be fulfilled

at His second coming. And so this is the prophecies

that are beginning to be fulfilled.

It shall come to pass in the last days, says God.

I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh.

Your sons, your daughters shall prophecy.

Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall

dream dreams. And my men servants, and on my

maidservants, I will pour out my spirit in those days, and they

shall prophecy. And I will show wonders in

heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath.

Blood and fire and vapour smoke. The sun shall be turned Into

Darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the

great and awesome day of the Lord.

And it shall come to pass that whosoever calls on the name of

the Lord shall be saved. And that's the gospel, right?

And the, and the ideas of, of prophesying is proclaiming the

word of God, speaking forth the truth of God.

Men and women can do that equally as God empowers them.

You give a witness somewhere, you give a testimony.

It isn't foretelling the future per SE.

That's a very rare thing because we got the future dictated in

this book, Genesis through Revelation.

We know what God's going to do and what's going to come to

pass. But prophesying is the ability

to, you know, exhort people, warn them, edify, build them up

and comfort them. That's the real true meaning of

prophecy. The apostle Paul said, I wish

all of you would. Prophecy meaning that you would

in your ministry, warn people, build people up and comfort

them. That's something that we should

all want to emulate, right? We should all want to have that

gift occurring in our lives to be useful to God.

Visions and dreams. People have them.

Sometimes they're caused by eating too much pizza the night

before. But I'm not negating the fact

that God can't speak through a dream or a vision.

But these things will increase in magnitude during the time of

right prior to the the return of Lord.

Some of these phenomenas in the heavens haven't occurred yet.

Of course, some commentators try to tie these into what happened

when Jerusalem was destroyed in 8070.

It looked pretty traumatic when Rome sacked the city.

But this what is being depicted here and Acts is unlike anything

that the world has seen yet. And these signs will be

obviously near the end of the Tribulation, right prior to the

return of Christ at his second coming, when he establishes His

Kingdom and rules and reigns in Jerusalem.

And then Peter continues, Men of Israel, hear these words, Jesus

of Nazareth, a man attested by God to you, by miracles,

wonders, and signs, which God did through him in your midst,

as you yourselves also know him, being delivered by the

determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have

taken by lawless hands, have crucified and put to death, whom

God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was

not possible that he should be held by it.

For David says concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before

my face, for He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken.

Therefore my heart rejoiced and my tongue was glad.

Moreover my flesh also my will rest and hope.

For you will not leave my soul in Hades, nor will you allow

your Holy One to see corruption. You have made known to me the

ways of life. You will make me full of joy in

your presence. Of course, this is the

fulfillment of what Christ experienced.

Thanks for joining us on this journey through Acts.

On today's edition of Living Waters of Grace, Pastor Clark

shares that one of the most remarkable things about the book

of Acts is how it shows the disciples transformation.

The followers of Jesus we meet here are very different from the

often confused and fearful disciples in the Gospels.

And after Jesus's death and resurrection, and especially

through the power of the Holy Spirit, the apostles experienced

a profound change in their hearts and boldness.

Their faith became unwavering, and they moved forward with

courage to spread the gospel despite opposition and hardship.

Acts reminds us that the same Spirit who empowered them is at

work in US today, shaping our hearts and giving us strength to

live boldly for Christ. Living Waters of Grace is a

ministry of Calvary Chapel Westmoreland.

If you're in the Greensburg, PA area, we invite you to join us

this Sunday at 10:30 AM at 400 E Pittsburgh St.

Unit 6B. Visit calvarychapelonline.com

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of Living Waters of Grace.