The Difference
Good morning, thank you for reading. I pray all is well.
Last week we just dipped our toes into the beginning of the book of Acts. We talked about God’s succession plan for leaders. Following Moses there would be a long line of prophets culminating in God’s Son, Jesus Christ.
The beautiful thing for all believers is that we are included in this succession plan, each one of us has a duty to perform, and a message to share. These are specific to who we are. God will even provide divine appointments with people to whom we share our Good News testimony.
The guidance and administration of this succession plan is performed by God’s Holy Spirit. It is no surprise that those who are more in tune with God’s Spirit are those who are more effective at sharing the message of Jesus. We finished last week with Acts 1:4-5, let’s begin here.
“On one occasion, while he was with them, he gave them this command (Jesus is now speaking), ‘Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”’
The disciples have their instructions, but in all honesty, I am sure that they still are not sure of anything that Jesus just told them. Except maybe, “do not leave Jerusalem”.
Then, out of the blue, Acts 1:6,
“So when they met together, they asked him, ‘Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel.’”
Jesus has opened their minds to the understanding that all of scripture is focused towards Christ. He tells them to stay in Jerusalem, wait for the gift His Father has promised. Jesus mentions John’s baptism and then a new baptism involving the Holy Spirit.
Do the disciples ask about staying in Jerusalem, the Father’s gift, or maybe what is different between John’s baptism and the Holy Spirit’s baptism? No, not at all.
They ask the same tired pre-Jesus on the cross question about restoring the kingdom to Israel. Their minds are struggling to keep up with Jesus still.
But to me, this emphasizes how different the Holy Spirit can make us. Looking at the difference between the disciples now, when compared with how they think, act, and speak in just a few days, is amazing.
God’s Spirit can change us from a bunch of confused Galilean fisherman, to God fearing, scripture breathing, miracle producing, church planting, men and women of God.
It is quite the makeover, a complete change. Jesus responds to the confused disciples in Acts 1:7-9, by responding to the questions that the disciples should have asked.
“He said to them: It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’ After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.”
Now they know their detailed instructions. They are to receive some kind of power from the Holy Spirit and then be witnesses for Jesus to the ends of the earth. In Matthew, these instructions are even more detailed, Matthew 28:18-20,
“Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”’
They know now, exactly what Jesus expects them to do. I still am not convinced that even at this point, the disciples under-
stand what it is Jesus wants them to do.
But they will.
But are we not all this way? I mean it. Are we not all confused about Jesus, the cross, his blood, 1900-2000 pages of the Bible, it all can be overwhelming, confusing, and intimidating until, that is, the Holy Spirit shows up. Acts 2:1-4,
“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”
What in the world just happened?
The Lord God, through his Spirit, just began speaking through his disciples, or, all the believers present depending on what biblical notes you emphasize. Let’s say it is just the apostles, because they start testifying, and now their testimonies are incredible. A little wild, because some people think they are drunk.
But they are not drunk. The Holy Spirit has fallen on them.Let’s go now to Peter, Acts 2:14-21. As you listen, who does he sound like?
“Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: ‘Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.””
Have we had any example of Peter recalling prophetic scripture before this? He remembered the entire passage from Joel. This is a perfect example of what a difference the Holy Spirit makes in us.
Joel was prophesying about the Day of the Lord. The Return of Christ, his second advent.
Peter, has declared, the time for God’s Spirit to be poured out on all people IS NOW! The Spirit is to be poured out on all people, without any regard to sex, rank, age, and Peter is even including the Gentiles, all the people of non-Jewish descent.
Peter is declaring the Good News, and he’s not even at the Good News about Jesus yet.
Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. The name of the Lord is Jesus! If you worship God, and pray to him, and call on Jesus’ name, you will be saved.
We all can be saved from the wrath of God’s judgment.
Now I understand that Christ declared Peter as the Rock on whom he would build his church. But, the Spirit had just fallen on him, from where, how did Peter do this?
It was the Holy Spirit.
Now, I know that there is someone here that is saying the Holy Spirit cannot get me to testify like Peter. But I am testifying that he can. The Holy Spirit will use you for amazing things, if you only allow him to do so.
The imagery for the Holy Spirit is water. The Spirit of God flows like water. This reminds me of Jesus’ testimony at the Feast of Tabernacles. His enemies had tried to seize him, but they could not lay their hands on him, because his time had not yet come. Satan, his minions, and the Pharisees had no power over Jesus. This is why the name of Jesus is so important, so powerful, so everything. John 7:37-41,
“On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.’ By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to (this) time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified. On hearing his words, some of the people said, ‘Surely, this man is the Prophet.’ Others said, ‘He is the Christ.’”
So, when Jesus is testifying here, he is declaring that whoever believes in him, will have streams of living water flow from within them. Jesus is talking about his Spirit filling us up and flowing out towards others, who need to be filled up, and then the Spirit continues to fill up and flow out, on and on and on again.
Please hear me, do not deny the Holy Spirit to come into you. Welcome the Spirit within your being, invite the Spirit in.
You will not regret it. There is great joy and peace with the Spirit of God leading you.
Now verses 40 and 41, remind me of the cross, right when Jesus died.
“On hearing his words, some of the people said, ‘Surely this man is the Prophet’. Others said, ‘He is the Christ.’”
Now, we can return to Peter, he’s just quoted Joel, and given a riveting testimony, to touch the heart of the most ardent Jew, because he’s referenced a prophet. But, unlike the Eleven, those listening have not had their eyes opened to all of the scriptures pointing to Jesus. This is why this message from Peter is so moving to the people listening, because he is teaching just like Jesus. He sounds like Jesus.
Now, let’s listen to Peter, give his version of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Acts 2:22-24,
“Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him. This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.”
The Holy Spirit works within the believer to promote the feeling of conviction, which creates within us our need to confess and seek forgiveness.
The Holy Spirit can also do this through a Spirit led individual, who when speaking to many people, like Peter was, leads them to a feeling of personal conviction.
There is no message more convicting to a sinner’s spirit than to place them at the foot of the cross (in imagery), look down, and realize that they are holding the hammer. This is just what Peter’s words accomplished.
The Holy Spirit makes a difference in all of us. Embrace the Spirit.
Do no harm, do good, and stay in love with God.
Blessings,
Thad Brown
Opportunity House
and Harmony Church
Concord