The Miraculous Birth of the Church - Acts 2:1-41

We last week started a new. Series really just a journey

through. A book of the Bible.

In a title that we're calling the.

Power of the Church. And we're going to be looking at

the history and the amazing story and movement of the. 1st.

Church that we are standing, celebrating and taking part in

today and so. If you have your.

Bibles. We're in the 2nd chapter now.

Of the Book of Acts. The book of Acts, chapter 2.

Acts 2 · chapter mention

And as you're turning there? Just appreciate those of you

who. Have made it to.

Church after. A long day of celebration for

those of you who celebrated in the day yesterday.

I know many people did. Maybe not many.

Maybe. Just a few, but April. 18th Did

anybody celebrate April 18th as National Superman Day?

Where are my nerds at? It's OK to celebrate that it's

a. Yearly event for many people who

are enthusiastic. About probably the greatest

superhero arc of all time. And on April 18th, 1930. 8 the

very. First Superman comic book

edition one came out and it was essentially the Superman origin

story. Of how it all got started, Who

was? This person that that would go

on this incredible journey of saving humanity.

And I, I mentioned that because we are in a sense, people who

gravitate towards origins. I have four children and so that

means that I'm pretty much always celebrating either their

birthday or some friend's birthday.

And it is the practice of humanity.

To just revolve your life. Around your beginning and my

kids when it's time for their. Birthday.

They love to hear their. Origin story tell tell me again

the story of me entering into the world.

And I don't think they're unique.

I think there's something inside of all of us that to like to

remember, maybe sometimes reluctantly, how long it's been

since the first birth or the 1st.

Birthday, I should say. And that's because when you when

you think about your identity, you're thinking about your

origin, you see a whole trend of people wanting to know even more

than just their birthday. It's like, tell me, I'll send in

my DNA. You can tell me about my

ancestors. I want to know who I am.

And that's worth mentioning now. Because there's the day.

You were born, and there's also the day that you found out why.

And today we're going to. Look back at the the.

Origin. Story of everything we just did.

We almost take it for granted how unique and.

Special it is to be the gathered people, the.

Church around the world. Because you guys have all been

to church, we do this every. Sunday you can You drove by 5.

Churches to get here there are probably.

Reference points that you've all had to different churches and

styles and sermons and songs. And so we just assume it's

always been this way, but today we're going to remember.

That this all started. With one church gathering, it's

set it all into motion. It's the origin.

Story of the of the church. And it's what we call Pentecost.

And in looking at this, not only do we find the origin story, but

we find that identity, the identity that is found in the

origin story because you you find out why something was

started and you can make sense of the middle of the story and

you can see. Where it's going?

And so I'm so. Grateful that the Lord gave us

the origin story of what we call the.

Church and we're going to look at that in Acts chapter 2 and so

Acts 2 · chapter mention

before we get into the. Verses that we'll we'll study.

This morning I'll just remind you of of.

How this origin story? Was, you know, really.

Kicked off like. Often times you're waiting for a

day of arrival, the origin story of birth, and it turns into this

great excitement and then you just got to wait.

How many of you? Have heard the due.

Date and it's like OK that's the due date and now we're seven

days past you know maybe some of you are in it right now you're

like I I'm relating to the sermon because.

I was supposed to give birth a week.

Ago. I'm sick of waiting and this.

Is where we left off. You'll remember the disciples in

Acts chapter 1 come to Jesus and they say is now the time to

Acts 1 · chapter mention

restore the Kingdom of Israel? And he told.

Them it's not your job to know when.

Your job is just to wait. And he told them specifically

what they were waiting for. The power of the Holy Spirit.

That was going to be poured. Out on God's people.

And so they're waiting. And it was in Acts chapter one

it says that they spent. 40 days with the resurrected.

Lord, he gave them infallible. Proofs of his.

Resurrection and taught them all the things pertaining to the

Kingdom of God. And then he ascended, and from

his ascension to this moment was 10 days.

I'm just waiting. Is now the time?

Is the Holy Spirit. Come yet is the is.

The day of arrival. Happened yet?

You know, maybe you know, they're, they're praying and

they're like. Was that it?

Was it? We are now going to.

Study the power of this. Origin story so that we would

know undeniably that this has God's hand on it, that this is

not a story of men who were obedient to wait and then just

got super organized and started planning how to get the message

out and how to. Fulfill the the great.

Commission. This is a story.

Of people who simply waited. And God's perfect timing.

God did what no one else. Could do this is the.

Origin of the Church as we know it, read with me.

Acts Chapter 2. Starting in verse one when the

Acts 2 · chapter mention

day of Pentecost. Now this is how I know it was 10

days. Penta means 55.

Pentecost is 50 days since. Passover.

So we had 40 days with Jesus. They've.

Waited 10 days to get to the 50th day.

It is now the day of Pentecost fully arrived and they were all

with 1 accord in one. Place and as they're there.

On that Sunday morning, one place in one accord it says in

verse 2, and suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a

rushing mighty wind, and it. Filled the whole house.

Where they were sitting then there appeared to them.

Divided tongues as of fire. And one sat.

Upon each of them and. They were all.

Filled with the Holy Spirit. And in the filling it says they

began to speak with tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance

and there were there dwelling in Jerusalem Jews.

So this is setting the scene for the all of the surrounding in

the city of Jerusalem. There are there dwelling there

devout men from every nation under heaven.

And when this sound? Occurred.

Verse 6 The multitude came together and they were confused

because everyone heard them speak in his own language and

they were all amazed and marveled saying to one another.

Look. Are not all these who speak

Galileans and how? Is it that we hear?

Each in our own language in which we were born.

Parthians and Medes and Eliamites, those dwelling in

Mesopotamia. Judea, Cappadocia, POTUS.

In Asia, Phrygia and Panthea, Egypt.

In the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrenia.

Visitors from Rome both. Jews and proselytes.

Cretans and Arabs, we hear them speaking in our own tongues the

wonderful works of God. And so they were all amazed and

perplexed, saying to one another, whatever does this

mean? We now have the answer to the

waiting in undeniable miraculous form.

So that it would be. No question mark as to.

What caused this? This was.

Not the work of men and we need to look at them the.

Miracles that were on display that I just read about to.

Institute the beginning of the Church and as we do that, this

is one of those moments in church history which which is

going to draw us all in and kind of divide the room because some

of you no doubt are are interested in maybe the Bible

from afar. Or you're here at.

Church and you think OK. Let's see what these.

People are about, maybe they'll give me some, some good advice,

some good moral teaching. There is no escaping from the

very first moment that the Church is born, that the Church

operates and functions in miracle it It is the hand of God

that is on the Church, and it is the storyline.

Of all of the Bible. And, and I say that this divides

the room because there are sadly a growing number of people that

try to tame the Bible, that try to come to church and take the

things that make sense according to the way we would just

naturally live and look at all the other things and explain the

way to. Do us a favor.

So that's more believable. There is no escaping.

That God. Is a miracle worker and he

brings life to the church in a way that no one can.

If you remove God, you remove miracles.

I found this helpful from one of the great historians of our

time. His name is Tom Holland.

He. Is slowly opening his heart.

To. Viewing all of history through

the lens of God's hand, but. He's respected as a secular

historian. Listen to what he says.

I see no point in preachers, Christian preachers.

Just. Recycling the kind of stuff you

can get from any kind of. Left Liberal because.

Everyone can give you that if I want that.

I'll get it. From.

A Liberal. Counselor, if you're a

Christian, you think that the entire fabric of the cosmos was

ruptured when, by some strange moment, someone who is a God and

a man set everything on its head in a massive singularity.

That is at the. Very heart of everything, and if

you don't believe that, it seems to me you're not a confessional

Christian. But if you do believe that, it

should also be possible. To dwell on.

All of the other weird. Stuff that traditionally comes

as part of the Christian. Package.

This book is full of the only answer being.

There is a God. Who set it into motion?

Put into. Order the laws of.

The universe and at any moment invades, and this is the story

from Genesis to Revelation, and it is the story of what we are

doing right now. If you don't.

Believe that God. Set into motion the cosmos sent

his son to turn the whole thing upside down with the power of

resurrection. Give.

Life to all who believe. Then you're you're not ready to

hear the origin story of the church, but in the origin.

Story. You see that as.

Consistent with everything God does, He sets it into motion in

a way that is undeniably supernatural.

In other words, the hand of God. And this is how we must look at

this very first gathering. It must be seen as impossible

apart from the power of God on display, and this is what we

will see in fact, by these miracles.

That I just read aloud. In the account given to us in

the book. Of acts there are. 3 miraculous

phenomena that these people experienced in the origin story

of the church. You have first of.

The the audible phenomena, it says read again.

With me there was There came a sound from heaven.

This is this is not an earthly sound.

It's a sound from heaven and the.

Best way that the the. Historian could could capture

this was by comparing it to the sound of a rushing mighty wind

that. Filled the house.

They were sitting in. So this is this is what they're.

Hearing and, you know, we are, you know, surrounded by the

beauty of mountains, living in a valley.

So we don't get to hear. Huge.

Gusts of wind often but if any of you have been around the

power of wind, you know it comes with an unmistakable noise with

the wind and this is what is happening that they they.

Heard. Wind entering into their

gathering place and for this we now see our. 1st picture with

clarity. Technicolor that.

God's hand is. Here that that this is.

Something that is from heaven to.

Tell these people and us. Who stand on the foundation of

this gathering. That we're studying that God.

Is breathing on his. People to.

Fully understand this it it. Helps.

To know the language that they used for wind was pretty much

synonymous with the language we use for.

Spirit. So wind and spirit were were

both thought of in a similar sense, because wind is like

breath and the spirit. Is like the breath of.

God, in fact, we'll we'll now. Ask ourselves, where have we?

Seen something like this before and we can find reference points

to the story of God now being fulfilled in His church.

You'll remember going all the way back to the beginning, we

saw a moment like this when God made man from the dust.

He fashions man out of dust, and he's not alive until it says in

Genesis. Chapter 2.

Genesis 2 · chapter mention

That God breathes his spirit of life.

Into him there is no humanity without the miraculous.

Power of God's breath. Animating humanity with life.

And so for a moment, as I, you know, take a break just to

talking. To you church people, for those

of you who. Are at our gathering or

wondering what we believe. Let me help you understand.

What you believe because there is a?

Challenge. For people who try to.

Understand how humanity came alive without understanding the

breath of God, and you can. Hear all sorts of theories.

In the the halls of academia, but it is an absolute dead end

to try to. Figure out what actually brought

life to our. Planet that is a mystery of

science that there is no direction on, no momentum, there

is no good study, there is no good experiment, there is no

answer to how humanity is alive. But we know.

That God breathes his spirit. To make us.

Alive and we see. A continuation of this story in

On the Easter Morning. We could have spent our entire

Easter Sunday looking at John chapter 20.

John 20 · chapter mention

As the resurrected Christ visits his.

Disciples who are locked in. Fear of what fate awaits them.

Their leader was just. Hung on a cross to me and made

an example of. They're afraid.

Jesus appears in their midst and it says he breathes on them the

Spirit and offers them forgiveness.

He was starting to breathe life into his disciples, but.

The story of the church is. That Jesus is not just choosing

a select few. To have this powerful life, the

disciples have a preview of the life, but they were.

Told to wait on power of on high when the spirit.

Would be pulled out, poured out. And as we read on, everyone says

that there was a a rushing wind that everyone heard and that

everyone experienced. The power of the Spirit.

And he is now breathing life on his church, the church.

Is the body of. Christ made alive.

By the power of the. Spirit that comes like the.

Breath of God. In the sound of a wind.

This is God. Telling us what we're actually

doing, what our origin. Story is without the power.

Of God and the Holy. Spirit the Church is.

Dead, and I'm sure you've experienced that.

Jesus continues to help us understand the overlap between

the wind and the Spirit as he's talking to Nicodemus.

Very important lesson he's giving Nicodemus.

That we will see fully. Revealed on Pentecost in John

John 3 · chapter mention

chapter 3. Jesus answered most assuredly.

I say to you unless. One is born of water and.

The Spirit. He can't enter the Kingdom of

God, that which is born of. Flesh is flesh.

And that which is born of spirit is spirit.

Don't marvel. At what I said.

You've got to be born again. You must be born of spirit.

And then he says, the wind blows where it wishes.

And you? Hear the sound of it.

But cannot tell where it comes from or where it goes.

And so is everyone who is born of the spirit.

The wind is making you alive and the the.

Power of God is in. His Church to represent the

spiritual. Life of the.

Boarding end Kingdom. And we see that with our first

miracle, our first phenomenon. The second one is visual, says

then there appeared to them. Divided tongues as of fire, and

so it says it appeared them, and it it.

Seems like there's tongues of fire hanging over every one of

their heads, so not only are they hearing this incredible.

House. Rocking noise of wind, but

they're also looking imagine the moment where there's.

All of these. People and they see fire hanging

over. The heads of these people.

Well, once again we asked the question, where have we seen

this before and. Throughout the story of God.

Revealing himself to man we find moments where God is revealing

himself through the imagery of. Fire.

We already looked at Genesis now.

Exodus Exodus chapter 3 as. God is going to.

Exodus 3 · chapter mention

Appear to Moses to call him to shepherd his people.

Redeem them out of Egypt and send them towards the promised

land. How does he appear?

Bible Study 101 in a burning Bush that's not consumed the

great I am. He.

Shows himself in the presence of fire, and then as they are

redeemed from Egypt, and they begin to.

Walk. The long road through the

wilderness to the Jordan River to get to the promised land, he

says to his. People, I will be with you as a

cloud by day to shade. Them from the scorching heat of

the desert sun and a pillar of fire by night.

And he is. Revealing himself as the.

Presence of God with his people through.

Fire and John the Baptist comes on the scene and he says I.

Baptize with water. But Jesus is going to.

Baptize you with the Holy. Spirit and fire.

So in these two phenomena, what we are remembering about the

origin story? Of the church is that it is.

God pouring out his life and His presence on his people.

That is what we do. When we gather, that's not

always what we do. I mean, we've all been to the

functions. That are lifeless.

And have no remblance. Of the of the Spirit of God, but

our. Origin story helps us understand

our identity the the gathering of God's people to give him

praise and sing and and and and read his word is also a

gathering. Of the people.

Who have been made, born again by the Spirit of God in the

presence of God. And this is what happens on the

very first gathering on the on the on the Pentecost.

And now we come to maybe the most perplexing of them all.

At least as you read the text. They seem most confused by the

language phenomena. There was a verbal.

Phenomena happening with these. People as God's life.

Is poured out on them. They come alive in ways they

didn't even know they had life, namely with language, says They

start speaking on all of these languages.

According to all of the the the tribes.

And the people groups that were represented there, it says in

Acts 2 verse 5. And there were dwelling in

Acts 2:5

Jerusalem. Jews, devout man from every

nation under heaven. This is 1 moment where we can

just try our best to understand. A little bit of the.

Traditional Jewish moment here and we we remember that.

Pentecost was, in fact, an actual feast of devout.

Men from all over the regions that they three times a year.

Were were called as people who were part of God's chosen

people. The the the Jewish people 3 * a

year they. Were called to come to Jerusalem

on a pilgrimage of sorts. To celebrate a feast altogether,

so we have Passover. We remember the.

Feast of the. Passover.

You can't understand Holy Week until you understand.

All of these people. Were there to remember the

Passover Lamb of God and that's just so happened to be fulfilled

in. Full by.

Jesus, the Passover lamb. And now we have.

This feast. Which is the feast of Pentecost

and in the perfect timing, all of these people.

Says that there are. 15 languages represented.

All of these. Jews had been dispersed by Roman

occupation and all of these different lands.

It is now time for them to come together, and in their coming

together they represent tongues and tribes and nations and.

Where have we? Seen people coming?

Together where there is a. Language.

Outbreak that causes a perplexing.

Moment. For people well for this.

Not only we do have our origin story of the church.

We also get our prequel and every good origin story has a

prequel. The prequel to this moment to

understand what? Is.

Happening with the verbal phenomenon of language that is

spoken by people who didn't know it and heard.

By people who do we go all the way back?

To Genesis, we actually. Look at a tragedy.

That happened in Genesis Chapter 11 and to understand this.

Genesis 11 · chapter mention

We we have to see. One of the great problems of

humanity that was. Previewed for us.

In the Tower of Babel. The Tower of Babel.

In a very. Short.

Reminder. Of what that story was.

Represents to this day one of the great challenges of humanity

against God. They remember that the Genesis

is describing God's good and perfect creation gone wrong.

Genesis describes God and man walking in perfect harmony

together, sin entering and then man slowly and then rapidly

turning its back to God and it devolves into the.

Chaos that we live in. And it gives us these.

Stories for us to look out. For that, what happens when man

turns against God, One of the. Stories.

And be a student of history for our time now one of the great

stories as it eventually man tries to make a name for himself

and all of the people come together and try to unite to

make one nation, not under God, but in place of God.

This is the Tower of Babel, it says.

Let us make a great name for ourselves and build a tower to

heaven that they themselves would become God on earth.

And I say be a student of history because that has been

the rise and fall of empires ever since.

People trying to consolidate power under 1 government that

would rule the rest and there would be no.

Need for God there would. Only be a name that is great

among men. It's happening to this day every

time an empire rises and falls. We live in the rubble of the of

the last war and then, slowly, humanity.

Tries to build back up. To not to being so organized and

so great that we no longer need God.

And so in Genesis 11, God in his mercy.

Because I don't know how many of you have lived anywhere near a

tyrannical government. They're not.

They're not pretty When when all of the power is consolidated

into a great name that is not God.

Humanity is suffering and it's horrible and it never ends well.

And because God is merciful, he said, I'm going to break up the

one world government that is godless.

I'm going to scatter people and divide them by language.

And when Tower of Babel? Happened we have a very.

Similar moment to Pentecost. They were confused and

perplexed, and they were scattered.

And God in His mercy had a plan of redemption that He is now

reversing right in this moment that we study in.

In the first Babble, the languages were confused.

So that people would be. Divided and in this, in this

moment, in the. Reversal of the of the.

World being divided so they wouldn't unite against God.

God is pouring out language to reunite people, and in a way.

That the disciples. Didn't even fully understand

until right now. He is now offering us the vision

that we take part in the. Global Church of the.

Actual plan of redemption. The disciples.

In Acts chapter one said is now the time for the Kingdom of

Israel and you'll remember he said it's not for you in other

times this season, but now we do have.

What their hearts desire was it? Wasn't that there was going to

be a great Kingdom of Israel like the.

The the glory days of. Solomon it will not be that

there's going to be a Kingdom of America.

That is, you know, built up to be the.

Blessed Kingdom on earth, it will not be your little Kingdom

either 'cause we all have Babel in our hearts what is actually

now the plan of God for his glory and our.

Good is the. One and only Kingdom of God, and

this Kingdom of God goes to every tribe and every tongue and

every people group, and they were all there to set into

motion God's. Desire to pour out his spirit,

as it says. On all people, and this is the

moment we see now the redemptive plan of God to set into motion

the coming day, when there will be 1 King once and for all, with

one people baptized into one baptism of his Spirit on earth

and the Church. Is the.

Preview and the mission of that one goal on Earth.

That's what we're doing. That's our origin story.

Our origin story is the reversal of the prequel.

And so now that the question is, you know.

Why did God? Do it on Pentecost?

What? What was it about Pentecost that

made this the perfect sovereign moment?

For God to pour out his spirit Well, as stated, all people were

there they. Represented God's heart for the

nations they. Could go with the power of the

holy. Spirit and the message that

they'll receive from Peter. That Christ is.

The anointed one, Jesus, they'll go to where they came from.

But there's another moment. That we see as well.

Pentecost was celebrated and it was a a memorial of another

origin story. Actually, it was the origin

story. Of how the people of God, the

Jewish people, is the origin story of how they got the law.

And you to understand how important this is, just read the

gospels and see. How serious they were about the

law. The law.

Gave them their national identity.

It gave them their. Access to Yahweh the the law

gave. Them their their way to live and

be made right with God and cleanse.

The law. Was their foundation and.

Pentecost. Was their yearly time to

remember their origin story? Remember when God gave them the

law? And here's.

Why this is such a? Great good news.

Message for us to. Remember their origin.

Story of the law because. It, it isn't as good as, you

know, just God handing out the the the tablets and them

obeying. It was a very messy moment in

the story of God and his people in the book of Exodus.

It happened in chapter 32. Moses goes up on Mount Sinai to

receive the law and in a in a. Overlap a parallel.

It's very similar to the. Pentecost moment, Moses is

leaving people that are eagerly waiting for what they're going

to receive. And they're waiting and they're

waiting. And they give us the reminder

that in waiting, sometimes we just get sick of waiting and we

do things that are not good for our soul.

And then they're waiting for Moses to come back.

They get restless and they remember.

There's this, There is this way that they.

Used to worship when they were still slaves in Egypt.

So they talked to Aaron who was supposed to be in charge.

They donate. All the gold they could.

Find and jewelry and earrings and they give it all to Aaron

and Aaron. This is his.

Story. Not mine.

Aaron just throws it into a big hot pot and outcomes a golden

calf. Oops, I got all this gold and

now I got a golden calf when Moses comes down with.

The tablets of the law. Specifically the 10

commandments. He doesn't find people waiting

in one accord with obedience and expectation.

He finds people who are committing.

Idol worship of the worst. Kind.

They're. Worshipping the idol of the

country that enslaved them. And if you read the story?

I'll save you the graphic. Details.

It isn't just Idol. Worship, but it's also.

It's just. Revelry and immorality, not

unlike the way that, you know, our, our parties and festivals

happen here on this side of heaven in, in our country.

It's like, you know, you get these big stage and the light

show and then just immorality. Breaks out.

And Moses comes down, he says what is going on?

He came to bring the law, and he finds them.

Lawless. And without going into a whole

Bible study on XS32A, very simple reaction happened.

He basically drew a line in the sand and he gave the people an

option. Choose today.

Do you want to be a Pagan idol worshipper committing immorality

and dishonouring the God who saved you?

It's a good question. I want to consider that

question. Or do you want to commit?

Yourself to Yahweh. And he drew a line in the sand.

He said choose and. The the.

The Levites came and they. Chose to be with.

Moses. And so he gives them this

commandment and and and this is. This is the Old Testament.

This is the law. Exodus 32 it.

Says Then he said to them, Moses thus says.

The Lord God of. Israel let every man put his

sword on his side and go in and out from the entrance to

entrance throughout the camp, and let every man kill his

brother, every man his companion, and every man his

neighbor. So the sons of.

Levi did, according. To the word of Moses and about

3000 men. Of the people fell that day.

This is just such a. Reminder that the law is

perfectly just and if you want to be someone who lives.

By the law, you will die. By the law, the.

Law was given and it just wiped out 3000 people who were

completely. Off the rails we've.

All sinned and fallen short of the glory.

Of the God. The The law is not our savior.

The law points out our need. For a savior.

And so with that story in mind, on Pentecost, when they're

remembering their origin story of the law, they remember the

tablets, they remember the golden calf, they remember the

the line in the sand. Peter stands up to make sense of

everything. Remember the people said, what

does all of this mean? Their Pentecost moment.

And Peter stands up and he starts preaching.

Prophecy fulfilled in this moment, preaches from Joel, who

said that in these days the Lord is going to pour out His Spirit

on all flesh. It's happened on Pentecost,

starts preaching from the Psalms and he shows that.

It was. Always God's plan to raise his

anointed one from the grave starts preaching.

The resurrected Christ. He starts preaching.

The the the the the divinity of Christ, that his.

Holy 1 and in all of these things as these people are

trying to make sense of all of these phenomena in acts.

Acts 2 · chapter mention

Chapter 2. Verse 30.

Seven, it says, when they. Heard this, they were cut to the

heart. And said to Peter and the rest

of the apostles, men and brethren, what?

Should we do about? This.

What should we do about the the power?

Of the resurrection, the fulfillment of prophecy, and the

pouring out of the spirit and the.

Spirit is poured out doesn't just give you a spirit.

Filled preaching it gives you a. Spirit filled response where the

the power of the Spirit is. Opening their hearts, it's

cutting them with a conviction that they need to change their

lives. This is the origin story of the

Church and in. The question of what should we

do? Peter begins to separate the.

Church. From the Old Testament law

abiding Torah worshipping Jews, he doesn't say, you know, go see

your priest and make yourself clean and.

Abide by the law. And and and do all of the things

according. To your best.

Execution of the 10 commandments.

What he says is repent, change your mind about who Christ is in

your life, turn to Jesus and let everyone of you be baptized.

You know this. This is a question I hope some

of you are asking. What do I actually do?

The answer is stop going towards the ways.

Of Idol. Worship and immorality and stop

worshipping the world that enslaves you and come into the

real Kingdom. That's repentance and baptism in

the name of Jesus. And then he says this.

That's what you need to. Do that's a.

Decision you need to make and then he says, and you shall

receive not condemnation, you're going to receive a gift.

And when you repent and you're baptized into the name of Jesus,

and you join the Kingdom. Of God the Spirit falls out all

flesh. It's not just for Moses, not

just. For Peter, it's not just for a

pastor or a worship leader. You come in and now you're part

of the born again Kingdom. Believers, this is the church he

says you'll receive. The gift.

Now listen. This is the the.

Fulfillment of the Pentecost Memorial for the promises to you

and your children are all who are.

Far off. As many as the Lord.

God would called. And with many.

Other words, he testified. And exhorted them be saved from

this perverse generation and. Once you have the exodus. 32 in

your mind and listen to. Peter Peter's Drawn.

A line in the sand, Peter says. Some of you want to go the ways

of Egypt, some of you want to go the ways of America, Some of you

want to go the ways of Hollywood.

Some. But that's.

Perverse generation and the Church is.

This. Bright light for every

generation that says repent, get the line in the sand.

You go this way, what's going to happen?

You'll die by the law. You'll die by religion, you'll

die by your own morality. You'll die by trying to be good.

Says be saved and come into the people of God and look what

happens then those in verse 41 who gladly.

Received his word, were baptized.

And on that day, how many about 3000 souls were added?

We now have the collision of covenants.

The law comes and crushes 3000 people.

Lest anyone think that religion will save you, that morality

will save you, that you can get to heaven by being a good

person, that you can understand how to just.

Be a little. Bit better than the next guy.

You want to stay on the line of you trying to figure it out and

you will be crushed. By the law, Paul will say the

the letter of the law kills. But here's the gospel.

Good news and here is the church's origin story on the

first Pentecost 3000 were crushed, 3000 were dead on the

new Pentecost 3000 come alive and this is now the origin that

puts us into motion of who we are the.

Letter of the law kills the spirit.

Of the law brings life, Jesus says you're going to be the salt

of the earth. You're going to be the light.

Of the world. You're going to be the.

Picture of where? The presence and the power and

the. Life of God lives. 3000 saved

and baptized the law can't save the spirit brings life and so

you put all of those things together and you find the

beginning of the. Church is still the church.

The beginning of the Church is is the miraculous.

Birth. Don't expect it to look.

The same the church has already been born, but but remember that

God always has these moments of miraculous.

Birth. To let you know that.

This is. According to his plan, the

nation of Israel born Abraham and Sarah miraculous.

Birth the savior of the world. Born of a virgin, miraculous

birth and the. Church, God's salt.

And earth and light and power and presence and Holy Spirit was

born miraculously. By the power of God.

And we now live in the church that represents those things to

the world. If you are.

Here and you don't know the. Power that we're all.

Remembering that we. We, we, we've.

Experienced for. The free gift of the Spirit.

This is going to be your origin story.

At some point. Every one of us had our own

origin story with God and it was very similar.

It was a miraculous moment where it was undeniable that God's

presence invaded. Our life and his.

Spirit made us alive, and now we.

Are part of the. Church, that's been his hands

and his feet and his body on earth for 2000 years.

And any one of you that don't have your origin story yet?

This is where it will start. God will come and invade.

Your life with the power. Of his presence you'll be.

Cut to the heart and say what? Do I do?

Here's the answer. Repent and join the Kingdom.

This is the point of every time we gather is to remember where

we came from, remember who we are, remember where we're going.

And so let me just end with a word of encouragement.

For all of us. In this moment, I hope.

That as you. Consider the origin story and

all the. Ways that God just put.

All of this together perfectly on Pentecost with everyone's

there and he's reversing Babel and he's he's giving us the

Spirit and not the law or the spirit and fulfillment of the

law. It's just such a reminder to me

that. God has a.

Plan and it is so perfect and there's times where we don't see

it in. Full, but just celebrate.

This moment where God's plan was on display in Technicolor and he

was putting it all together and he was saying I have been

planning this all along and may you be encouraged.

That. It's not just for his.

Church it's. Not just for the big.

Stories we read about in the Bible God has.

A purpose and a plan for every single one of our lives.

His plan is perfect, His timing is perfect, and He has a way.

To put it all together, that causes all of.

Us to marvel he can take tragedies and turn them into the

fulfillment of something beautiful and he'll do that for.

Your life, if I could leave you here.

With something, let me just leave you with the the promise

of the word in Romans chapter. 8 Paul says likewise, the Spirit

also helps us. In our weakness for we don't

even know what we should. Pray.

But the Spirit himself makes intercessions for us with

groanings which cannot be uttered now that we.

Have the Spirit. We know how to talk to God.

We'll get more into the weeds with tongues and languages and

but the main language that you're going to get when you

have the Holy Spirit is the language of.

Prayer by the power of. The Holy Spirit you know now

have the ability. To talk to God.

And in the very same thought, Paul goes on to say, And we know

that all. Things work together for good

for those who love God and are called.

According to the purpose. That the church worked.

All things of the Old Testament and made it all for good

according to his purpose and that's.

True of your life. God will redeem the tragedy and

make it beautiful. God will meet you with His

presence and give you life, and it is for everybody.

Thanks for joining us today. If you would like to watch the

full service, check out the link in the description.

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