Acts & The Life of Paul | Lecture 5 : BC302-Acts-20260824

Okay, good morning and welcome everyone. >> Good morning. Let's pray and let's begin. I want to request somebody from class only to lead out in prayer today. Please take the mic and pray. >> Heavenly Father, thank you for this wonderful morning. Oh God, as we are going to learn from your word, oh God, as we are going to take into our hearts, oh God, help us to uh help us to uh grow in uh in your word, oh God. Help us to grow in you, oh God. Thank you, God. This class we submit into your hands, oh God. Help us to understand, oh God. Thank you, Jesus. In Jesus name I pray. Amen. >> Amen. >> Amen. Um so let's get back to acts chapter 2 and in the last class we covered quite a bit so we will recap and uh then we will proceed from there. So what are some things which we saw happening in acts chapter 2. You can look at the uh notes also and uh scriptures also and uh answer that question. What exactly was going on? Yes. Baptism in the of the Holy Spirit. Did it happen um suddenly? >> Yeah. I it says suddenly but obviously there was a promise and also the believers were waiting in prayer. So there is an element of waiting and expectation. Next, what else did we observe? We have to be a little quick because I think we talked lot of details. By now you should know many things. Yeah. >> Yes. Yeah. Before that what happens? Rushing mighty wind tongues of fire then. >> Yes. Yes. What about the onlookers? or the people around. >> Yes. So we see that there were people from how many how many does it list out? 15 15 different communities around the region. So we saw the names of all of them. They were who were those people? Who are they? Why are they in Jerusalem? feast. Correct. Feast of what? >> Pentecost. So remember we discussed all these things. We said that Jesus was crucified during the Passover. He rose again during the feast of the uh first fruits and now is the time of Pentecost. So there is a gap. How much gap is there between Passover and Pentecost? 50 days. >> 50 days. So 40 days Jesus was around. He was resurrected and he was meeting with the disciples and many other people. How many people did he meet? >> 500 >> 500 people according to what Paul writes to the Corinthians. And uh he is he ascends up on the mount of olives and he tells the disciples to wait. Right? So roughly how much did they wait? 10 days. >> They were waiting in prayer for 10 days. And then we read Acts chapter 2 and suddenly so I don't know how many of you have noticed last couple of days have been very windy right so if your if your uh window is narrow sometimes you get that sound right it's really scary so you can imagine imagine like this don't use your imagination how it could have been sound of a rushing mighty wind how it it was in the upper room so the sound came and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit took place. Uh and we we saw that the the um 120 people they started to speak in tongues. Yeah. And uh because there was it was so loud there were people who looked and um what did they say? What did they say about these? >> Yeah, they are drunk. And uh they also said look at when they heard their own languages uh they also said look not are not all these who speak Galileians. So in verse seven so Galileians had a reputation of being uh untrained. So they were not like when you say Pharisees immediately we we think of very learned people. their circles must have intellectual discussions, spiritual discussions. But when we say galians, uh it's like what do they know? So that was the reputation. That's why they are saying how come they are speaking in our languages. Are they all not galileians? Like they probably never went to uh good educational centers. How come they know our languages that way? Okay. So they hear it in their own language. So when these people are speaking in tongues, what what do they uh what do the other people hear? What is the >> Yes, own language. Correct. But what was being spoken in that own language? It is there. Verse 11s, >> wonderful works of God. Right? So this is one thing for us to understand that when we pray in tongues, there are many messages that God gives regarding our future um regarding somebody else but also we are praising God, right? We are talking of the wonderful works of God. So that happens when we pray in tongues. So how do we explain this? They are talking in tongues but human languages are being heard. What what do we uh call this? You've already done I think in other courses see when we talk in tongues we can't understand because it's a u heavenly language. uh but we know that uh in 1 Corinthians chapter 13 Paul writes if I speak in the uh languages tongues of men and angels men and angels. So if it is in the language of men how is it tongues? What do you think? It's understandable. People are able to understand. And how is it tongues? we can interpret. See interpret means um we first don't understand it and then interpretation happens then we can understand but here people are listening in their own language. So think of a language which you know and then in that language you're directly hearing it. There is no interpretation. So it's directly human language. So how is it tongues? I'm asking Correct. But then why are we saying tongues? It's a human language. English, Hindi, uh, Arabic, Spanish, we can already understand. Then why are we saying it's tongues? The person who is speaking >> untrained illiterate people speaking in different languages which people are astonished. So >> okay >> might be calling us tongs. >> Uh illit as in those the people who are speaking are not they have not learned that language. You mean brother? Uh sister uh uh sorry ma'am uh thing uh the thing is that I'm an illiterate I don't know I I just know the local language >> and uh I'm speaking the other language >> apart from the local language which >> right >> a language which you're not aware >> yes >> okay got it so see when it comes to tongues what we say that there are categories of tongues I'm sure you've learned this some course or the other. So, uh tongues as prayer language which is what we commonly say that we cannot grasp it. First Corinthians chapter 14 no there when we read verse two we speak mysteries unto God. Meaning I can't understand it's a mystery to me not to God. Whereas when we speak in a human language that somebody else can understand but I am not able to understand we call that as tongues as a sign to the unbeliever. So this is a category. There are many people in the Christian world who say uh uh in acts chapter 2 the tongues was understandable by people but in today's world generation when many people speak in tongues nobody understands so it's not from God there are many people who conclude that because in acts two it's different it's coming through as human language angages that are per perceivable. Whereas today many of us are familiar with tongues that is not perceivable because it's not a human language. It's a heavenly language you see. But that is also tongues. This is also tongues. What is the difference? That is what we call as tongues as a sign to the unbeliever. So notice 15 different languages are being spoken and unbelievers are marveling and it is affecting them because it is drawing them to God. So are we recognizing the supernatural manifestation of tongues is actually drawing the attention of people towards God. So you may have heard missionaries in uh olden times they used to uh go to new territories by faith. So like they for example somebody goes to China and they don't know Chinese. So by faith they would start praying in tongues and there are testimonies of many missionaries that when they started praying like that they were actually speaking in Chinese which the people understood and they took them to the right place. So that all this is next level faith in which people have walked in. But this is a category of tongues where human languages are spoken to minister to the unbeliever. So we cannot expect the same tongues every time. Okay? And it is not uh correct to say that today when we pray in tongues how come people are not understanding therefore it is not of God. So that is incorrect because there are various categories of tongues. So what we are seeing in acts chapter 2 is a category of tongues. Okay. Yes. Let's move on. So uh when such a thing happens people are amazed, people are perplexed, people are uh hearing um the wonderful works of God. But at the same time they are mocking. So remember we said that even when God poured out his holy spirit in acts chapter 2 there is a mixed reaction. So today in our world people observe the supernatural and there can be mixed reactions. Some people will say uh these people are ministering by the holy spirit. Wow we praise God for it. Whereas others might say these people are ministering by demonic spirits. See what they are doing. So it's possible people can mock us and that's a price which we have to pay for the supernatural. Uh we have to be confident in what God is doing and uh keep pressing forward. We will face things that are uh spoken against us as opposition but uh it happened even in Acts two. So what is so surprising about it? We we just need to be have a good foundation of what the Bible says. be convinced that what we are believing and pressing forward to is uh correct. It's accurate as far as scriptures are concerned and we move forward. So here also uh they say these people are you know full of new wine and uh uh at that time Peter tells them no it's not new wine. What you are seeing is what the prophet who who spoke Joel. Yes, prophet Joel spoke in Joel chapter 2. And he quotes from uh the book of Joel and uh these amazing words where he says that uh uh and it shall come to pass in the last days says God. What is the meaning of last days? after the ascension of Jesus which is all of the time after that is the last days and I uh shared with all of us we are living in the last of the last days. So can we expect the outpouring of the Holy Spirit today? >> Absolutely and we should also because these are the last of the last days and God will pour out his spirit on all flesh. So there is no age uh distinction by age. There is no distinction by gender and uh God will reveal his um uh supernatural works. So we see some categories here like visions, dreams. So when we experience these things, we can understand that these are the works of the Holy Spirit. And obviously why is Peter now bringing up dreams and visions? because he recognized that tongues is a work of the Holy Spirit. And for Peter and the other believers, we can say that they had never experienced tongues before. Something so new. So God can uh work out of the box. He need not do things the way he has done previously. So when the 120 people were expecting the baptism in the Holy Spirit, we don't know what they expected. Maybe they expected visions and dreams. But what happened? Tongues. So when we say Holy Spirit, you fall upon us. We should be open to whatever the Holy Spirit wants to do. Okay. Now let's move on. Um prophecy is also there because in verse 18 he says um they will prophesy dreams visions prophecy is there in Joel's uh words but what exactly happened is tongues uh and of course Peter talks about the end of the age and says in verse 21 um that whoever calls on the name of the lord shall be saved. So these are the times when God will pour out his holy spirit and uh uh manifest the supernatural. It will be a time of like how do I put it like disturbing because the end of things is also happening side by side. Uh the return of Christ is soon. So it it is u it it's somewhat challenging for us to see all the things that take place in the world but he presents hope in verse 21 and he says that but whoever calls on the name of the lord shall be saved. So there is hope there is hope in Jesus Christ. So that is the message of Peter. Now he goes on to talk about Jesus. Do you remember we we mentioned that um Jesus had just been crucified and there was lot of commotion about this Jesus in Jerusalem and that whole region Judea beyond. Uh so for Peter to stand up boldly it's a great thing and we remember a transformation in Peter because earlier he was so scared he was a covert he ran away he didn't identify with Jesus but now he is so different he's providing leadership to the disciples he is preaching to the uh thousands of people who are listening so what changed in Peter's life. How did Peter change so much? 50 days, 60 days. Yeah. >> Yes. One is baptism of the Holy Spirit because it has just happened. So boldness has come through the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Anything else that is a different event in these uh 50 60 days? uh knowledge of >> okay knowledge but knowledge before also he had I think because Jesus was talking to him >> the resurrection of Jesus Christ >> okay okay >> uh correct >> yes brother yes brother Samuel so knowledge was there and it continued it was Not something very different. But what is very different is resurrection. Yes or no? Do you agree? >> Okay. So resurrection of Jesus is the different thing that has taken place. So these are the two things that have impacted him and that have impacted all the other disciples and believers. You remember we also said uh in u acts chapter 1 the brothers of Jesus were there. These are the same brothers who didn't believe in him as Messiah. How come they believe in him now? Resurrection. So the resurrection is a very very powerful uh event in the lives of the believers. Even today the resurrection of Jesus Christ gives us great confidence and hope because we know that not death could not hold him down. He has won over um Satan, sickness, uh sin. He is coming back. Incredible hope through resurrection. So I mean uh we can talk a lot about it but I'll stop with that. Resurrection and Holy Spirit baptism have made an impact on Peter. That's why he's so bold and he is talking to the people. Now he boldly talked about Jesus of Nazareth and uh he says attested by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs. Verse 22. So let us remember that our ministry is attested or uh when we say there is a letter, right? A or a mark sheet. We all receive mark sheets. Yes. Isn't it? But the mark sheet usually will have a signature or a seal on it. Now that is what makes it authentic. That is what makes it priceless, valuable. Without signature, if you just have your marks, no seal of the organization, doesn't carry much value. People will question us. But being attested means the backing of something that carries a lot of authority. And in the case of Jesus, heaven or the father backed him up. How did he back him up? What was the attestation over Jesus's ministry? How do we know that Jesus is from God? >> Yes, teachings of course. But here clearly in Acts chapter 2 verse 22 uh Peter is talking about the supernatural. Imagine if Jesus only taught and did no miracles. Then uh in a way attestation of heaven would have been missing in the life of Jesus. So miracles, signs and wonders in a sense gave more credibility to the work of Jesus. And today in our ministries if we do not have the supernatural something is missing. So we are preaching okay but the supernatural is an attestation of God. Even Jesus walked in the supernatural. Right? So we can clearly see that in verse 22 God uh 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. And then he talks about how uh it was God's purpose for Jesus to face uh a very painful death and he was uh crucified by people who did not believe. But he doesn't stop there. Verse 24, he talks about being loosed from the pains of death because it was not possible that he should be held by it. Now tell me why death could not hold him. Why couldn't death hold him? >> Death has no power. >> Yes, of course death has no power. But why? He was blameless. So uh do we remember uh in the book of Romans we were all we are doing Romans right we say that we see the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life. So death comes as a consequence of sin. Now death is not able to hold Jesus. What does it mean? There is no sin in the book of Hebrews also. We are going to do Hebrews in the next semester. There we will study. He was tempted in every way yet without sin. Without sin, blemishless lamb of God. So this is the powerful uh uh revelation we get. The reason death could not hold him is he was the pure lamb of God. So uh death could not claim him at all because there was no sin in his life. And so we see it was not possible for him to be held by sin. Now we don't know if all the Jews who were listening the procelites who were listening uh understood these things. Okay. So Jews meaning um we know that they all belong to a certain race. Procelites are people who are from different communities but they are believers in uh Jehovah God. So they are believers, they are worshippers and now they have made a choice to follow uh this God. So we call them procelites. So they also were there in the uh in Jerusalem to worship. So Peter is talking to all of them and uh it maybe they didn't understand what he was saying. So he takes the example of David and then he quotes some passages from the Psalms and he says you know don't you know that um God had promised uh David uh that he will not be held in Hades or death will not keep him but he explains to them and he tells them that David's tomb is still there. We all know then who was this promise made to? Think about it, right? God promised David that he will not be held by Hades. But we know of the tomb of David, meaning he's still there or he was buried there. He never rose from the dead over all these years. So who is this speaking about? Jesus Christ. So he just spoke, right? That death could not hold him. The pains of death could not hold him. And now through the patriarch David, he is explaining to the listeners that u you know this is about Jesus Christ. So he's boldly proclaiming that that uh God has raised up Jesus to sit on his throne and uh uh it is Jesus whom God has raised up. Verse 32. This Jesus God has raised up of which we are all witnesses. Verse 33. Therefore, being exalted to the right hand of God and having received from the father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he poured out this which you now see and hear. So, uh now he he has kind of brought the message to a conclusion. He says Jesus has risen from the dead and through the Holy Spirit the manifestation of what you observe is happening. And he's also quoted Joel and he is saying this promise of the father promise of the holy spirit he poured out this which you now see and hear. So there is obviously a manifestation. Sometimes people claim all kinds of things. They say holy spirit was poured out but uh no now no tongues and all was spoken. Uh it was not how we think it was. But what is uh Peter saying what you see and hear meaning it's observable by the senses. So something has happened. No wonder people have come gathering right. Um so something was taking place on that day and Peter is making a connection to the baptism in the Holy Spirit clearly. So he's not even trying to check okay let's research the scriptures and figure out what is this. They were already waiting for it. So who knows maybe Peter was meditating on Joel and other scriptures. So the moment the Holy Spirit is poured out and people are mocking it, here comes the word of God out of him and he is making the connection and saying this this this whole speaking in tongues and you know uh people praising God this is what the promise of the father the promise of the holy spirit is it has already happened right? Uh are you all with me? Okay. So, uh as you can notice there are many layers. We can keep going deeper and deeper into it. Uh but uh I'm just trying not to miss any essential points. Okay. So, uh I know the recap always takes too much time but we'll go on. So, we yeah verse 37. That's where we stopped. So now when people are hearing these things about Jesus Christ, what happens to to them? They were cut to the heart or cut to the heart means they were touched. They were moved. In some translations it says they were pricricked. So conviction comes upon them that Jesus who is the Christ through whom this manifestation of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit is happening. What have we done? We have crucified him. So conviction meaning I'm being I'm feeling uh pricricked in my heart. So they don't know what to do. now that Jesus we should not have crucified Jesus I don't know why we did it we let it happen so these people who are listening to Peter's message through conviction they are telling Peter and the rest of the apostles men and brethren what shall we do now that you are explaining what is going on you tell us what are the six steps. So in verse 38, Peter tells them exactly what to do and he tells them repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. So in a way if we were to summarize this verse 38 he's calling them to repentance meaning leave your sins live a new life in Christ right come to believe in Jesus Christ second baptized baptized is which baptism is he speaking about water baptism right because that's the baptism of repentance and he doesn't stop there He also says you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit which is another baptism baptism in the Holy Spirit. So can we see these are the steps or uh uh stages in a believer's journey. All of our journeys we first repented. We started believing in Christ. Then there came a point where we had to u confirm our decision and we said okay I will be waterbaptized. And after being waterbaptized many of us have received the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Right now I said after but don't get confused. There are some people who are baptized before itself in Holy Spirit. It's fine. Either way is fine. So this is what he tells the people. So they asked what shall we do? What did Peter say? What did he what is the answer he gave them? Yeah. Repent. Be baptized. What will you receive? Gift of the Holy Spirit. Now look at verse 39. For the promise, which promise, which promise is he talking about? The gift of the Holy Spirit. We have heard terms like promise of the father, promise of the holy spirit. It's nothing but baptism in the holy spirit. So in verse 39 he says for the promise which is baptism in the Holy Spirit is to you and to your children meaning you receive it. Let all your children receive obviously those who believe. We have to be in the kingdom of God to receive it. Secondly, what does it say? To all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call. This is referring to people of the coming generations, as many generations as will live in the last days. So now people ask the question Acts chapter 2 120 people were baptized. Fine we can accept it. How can you say that today people can be baptized in the Holy Spirit? Verse 39 it clearly says this promise is for all who are a far off. Which means you and me, everyone else who will believe. It says right as many as the Lord our God will call. Everyone who has become a believer going to become a believer, we are all invited to the baptism in the Holy Spirit. We are all in a way qualified to receive the baptism. So there is no believer who can say that it is not for me. It's for all who are a far off. As many as the Lord our God will call. So this verse 39 gives us lot of confidence to pray for others because there is a God has spoken, God has promised it has to happen. So when you and I pray, we are praying for a believer based on verse 39. promise is there for as many as the Lord our God will call and then as we pray we will see people are baptized in the Holy Spirit right so uh let's remember these things so what a beautiful day uh it was we we uh you know really don't know like uh exactly which year right where we can mark on the calendar and say exactly this or exactly that but it's a significant day in the history of the church. So there are uh the we we usually term it as the birth of the church. Acts chapter 2. Till that there is a group of believers. But when the baptism in the Holy Spirit happened something explosive took place and that is the proclamation of the gospel to thousands of people and on that day many people accepted Christ. Right? So these are the words in which Peter was preaching. Now let us see what is happening. Okay. Would somebody like to read verse 40 to verse uh 47 quickly then we can discuss. And with many others words he testified and exalted them saying be safe from this uh perverse generation. Then those who gladly receive his word were baptized. And that day about 3,000 souls were added to them. And they continue steadfastly in the apostle doctrine and fellowship in the breaking of bread and in praying prayers. Then fear came upon uh every soul and many many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. Now all who believe were together and had all things in co common and sold their uh possessions and go goods and divided them among all as anyone uh had needed. So continu continuing daily with one accord in the temple and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food uh with the gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the peoples and the Lord added added to the church daily those who were being saved. >> Okay. Yes. Thank you. So we are observing few more things that are taking place. People are responding to Peter's message and uh uh we see that Peter speaks more. We have not uh Luke has not recorded the exact words of Peter but there were many more words with which he testified and exalted them and told them to be saved. Now verse 41, what does it say? It says that they gladly received his word. Meaning uh those who gladly received meaning some received and some didn't. Some people may have listened and gone away saying yeah we'll think about it or uh we are not sure. But there were some who received the word and those who received the word what happened to them? were baptized. And how many people were added to the church that day? >> 3,000 souls. Sounds like a revival, don't you think? It's it's just one day. One day all this is happening. How did how did uh so many people get water baptized? We have an assumption. The assumption is apostles would have baptized. Who knows the believers also would have baptized. Otherwise, how can you baptize uh 3,000 people in one day? By the end of the day, your arm will be aching. You're just baptizing, baptizing, baptizing. Whole day 3,000 people. So morning, what is the uh number in the church administration? How many people are there in the church? Morning 9:00 >> 1:20 evening 5 p.m. How many people are there in the church? >> 3,120. So the church has multiplied by the end of the day and that is the work of the Holy Spirit. So if God could do it in the book of Acts, can he do it today? >> Absolutely he can do it. And we should believe God for uh such an supernatural increase and expansion of God's kingdom. It is never a problem for God. Now there is a community of believers that is established in Acts chapter 2. We are calling it the birth of the church. Now what kind of community is this? That's the description which we have in the following scriptures. Verse 42 it tells that tells us that these people were committed to the word of God. See it is one thing to have lot of people in the church but as leaders are we discipling them in the right way? That is a very big question. We can observe that the apostles did a great job. So the features of the community are in verse 42 they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine. Apostles doctrine means what the apostles were teaching. So what were they teaching? We already know what Peter is talking about about Jesus Christ as the Messiah about the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Then we can also assume that they have they must have taught what Jesus taught them because in the great commission he said right go into all the world make disciples baptize them and teach them everything that I taught you. So they would have taught all those uh all those topics that is the apostles doctrine. So can you see that they are doing a they're working hard in teaching. Yes. Without that, how will the believers be put on the right track of God's word? So people are born again. Church is expanding but there is work to do and in that the apostles are dedicating themselves to teaching and people are getting grounded or they are receiving a strong foundation of the teaching of God's word apostles doctrine. Now what is the second feature? fellowship. Fellowship meaning uh now this is a different community. They all came to Jerusalem to worship God as much as they knew but now they are all born again. So um they have to come together to worship the Lord Jesus Christ and they are interacting with each other. They're getting to know and journeying together. So fellowship is another feature. They are committed to the word. That is number one. Second is they are fellowshipping. Third one they are breaking bread. They are um parti participating in the communion because they believe in the work of Jesus Christ. Right? So you see how they are committed. they are uh remembering what Jesus has done. So you can imagine 3,000 people uh 3,000 plus people participating in the holy communion in those days and uh also we see prayer. So four features which describe the way uh their church was. And so for us today, we can ask, we can check, is our church like this? Are we committed to the word? Are we committed to fellowship? Are we committed to um communion, believing in the covenant that Jesus has made through the cross? And are we committed to prayer? But the early church was very much. Now when they lived like this we see that reverence for the church community and God came upon all the people even the unbelievers in that area had a sense of uh fear towards God and uh the supernatural obviously was going on seen by the work of the apostles. So we can notice that many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. So we don't have a list but but one thing we can say remember in verse 22 we said Jesus um of Nazareth a man attested by God. Apostles are also attested by God because they are walking in signs, wonders and miracles. So this is the nature of the early church. Okay. So uh let me just stop here because I think it's quite a bit you're trying to imagine in one day so many things took place the church has become like this and it has certain features. All right. So uh at this point I think let's just take a break. You meditate on these things. We'll come back for discussion and continue from here. Yeah. Thank you everyone. Thank you. See you all soon.