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BIBLE
STUDY LESSON
For
the week beginning Sunday March 13, 2016
THE HOLY SPIRIT COMES
Acts 2:1-13
In Acts chapter 2 Luke
chronicles events that took place during the “Pentecost” observance, which was
celebrated fifty days following the resurrection of CHRIST JESUS, or
traditionally, seven weeks after the final day of “Passover” (Leviticus
23:15-22). Pentecost, which means, “fiftieth”, is also known as the “Festival
of Harvest”, and the “Feast of Weeks”. In New Testament times, Pentecost also
commemorated Moses’ receiving and giving of the Ten Commandments at Mount
Sinai.
In
Acts 2:1-4, as Christians met in a house somewhere in Jerusalem, we see three
great phenomenal occurrences unfolding, which will forever serve to make the
coming of the HOLY SPIRIT, on that Pentecost day, an unmistakable and unique
event;
·
First we see the “roaring of a mighty
windstorm” come down and fill the house that the Apostles and the others
occupied (Acts 2:2).
·
Secondly, we see the “flames of fire” appear
and settle on each person in the house (Acts 2:3).
·
And finally, we see that they began speaking
in “other tongues” (“heterais glossais” in the Greek), which means “various
learned languages or dialects”, as the HOLY SPIRIT instantly gave them these
abilities (Acts 2:4).
Here in this passage, we see GOD’s offer of
salvation is to be extended to all people, Jews and Gentiles, who were willing
to believe and put their faith and hope in CHRIST JESUS. At the time of this
miraculous event there were GODly Jews and foreigners (Gentiles) from many
different nations who had come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Pentecost. And so
on this wonderful occasion they were able to hear the new Gospel of CHRIST
being taught and spoken in their own language or dialect, no matter where they
came from, to Jerusalem that day. These
“visible signs” are unique in that, in all of recorded Scripture, this is the
only time when these three things occur together during a distinctive act of
GOD.
Since that day, the HOLY SPIRIT has come to indwell
every person that believes in their hearts in CHRIST JESUS, and we, as a
result, can belong to the family of GOD. GOD has bought us at a high price by
sacrificing the life of HIS only begotten SON as a ransom for our release from
the bondage of sin and death. As we live in fellowship with GOD, HE will fill
us and keep us filled, and when HE does, we will be able to serve and grow, and
conform more fully to HIS Word and will.
The
HOLY SPIRIT adds “supernatural power” to the “shared nature of GOD” that we
have in us already from birth, and HE enables us to win the battles within
ourselves, between “reason” and “passion”, that, without HIM, we would not
otherwise win, a great deal of the times. HE further enables us to resist the
temptations of life, that, without HIM, we’ve already proven to be too weak
spiritually to resist. In fact, HE actually makes us more aware of those times
when we are about to move out of the will of GOD, and will prevent us from
doing so, IF we listen, or heed to HIS prompting.
PETER’S PENTECOST SERMON
Acts 2:14-36
Taking
up at verse 14 the Apostle Peter steps forward along with the eleven other
apostles, and he begins to preach the good news using several references from
the Old Testament Scriptures, explaining in his “kerugma style” how they
foretell the first advent of JESUS CHRIST, and the HOLY SPIRIT. He tells them that
the people in the assembly were not drunk with wine, as many on the outside of
the temple were suggesting, but rather, what they were witnessing instead had
actually already been foretold by the Old Testament prophet, Joel, for example,
who said, “In the last days, GOD said, I will pour out MY SPIRIT upon all
people” (Joel 2:28), and also that, at that time “anyone who calls on the name
of the LORD will be saved” (Joel 2:32).
Peter
goes on to tell the crowd that GOD publically showed HIS endorsement of JESUS by
doing wonderful miracles, wonders, and signs through HIM, and that they had all,
Jews and Gentiles, followed GOD’s prearranged plan by nailing HIS SON to the
cross. GOD then released HIM from the horrors of death and raised HIM back to
life again, and so we see, death could not keep JESUS in its grip (Vs.14-22).
In
verses 25-33 Peter cites the first of two Psalms by King David (Psalm 16:8-11)
to prove his doctrinal point about GOD’s promise to raise CHRIST JESUS from the
dead. In verse 27 of this passage Peter cites these words from King David,
where he himself is prophetically referencing JESUS’ resurrection. There David
says, “For YOU will not leave my soul among the dead or allow YOUR HOLY ONE to
rot in the grave”.
In
verses 34-36 peter makes the third and final point of his, now famous, Pentecost
Sermon by again referencing King David. Here he cites the words of “the man
after GOD’s OWN heart” in Psalm 110:1 where he prophetically states, “The LORD
said to my LORD, sit in honor at MY right hand until I humble YOUR enemies,
making them a footstool under YOUR feet”. And so if GOD said this, through
David, as a clear reference to JESUS, then the Scriptures themselves testify
that JESUS is both LORD and MESSIAH.
In
Acts 2:37, we see the HOLY SPIRIT convicting those members of the first
Christian Church, through Peter’s words to them, regarding the wrong that was
perpetrated on JESUS, by way of their role in HIS death on the cross. Peter
goes on to tell them, that, the promise of the HOLY SPIRIT was not only for
those present in the room that day, but it is a promise that extends to all who
come to know CHRIST, and answer the call of GOD, in all future generations.
In
Acts 2:41-47 we see quite vividly, the spiritual characteristics of the early
Christian Church on display. We see quite clearly a picture of what the term
“United by the SPIRIT” really means, and, we can see that the power of the HOLY
SPIRIT transcends race, gender, and nationally, and, HE unifies us with GOD,
through CHRIST JESUS. Here in this passage lies, perhaps, one of Scripture’s
greatest examples of “Christian Unity” actually being lived out by the original
Christian Church through their behavior. Here we see spotlighted, their;
(1).
“teaching and learning”- (verse 42)
(2).
“prayer and fellowship”- (verse 42).
(3).
“fear and reverence for GOD”- (verse 43).
(4).
“sharing in the Church”- (verse 44-45).
(5).
“worshipping GOD together daily”- (verse 46-47).
(6).
“being filled with joy”, - (verse 46).
(7).
All in all, they were a church where “good things were happening constantly”,
and, “new people were receiving Salvation daily”- (verse
47).
What
a wonderful example for modern-day churches to emulate. We see here in this
passage, an example of “Christian Unity” that has been placed before us, and
available to us, since the very birth of the Christian Church in Jerusalem. And
even though this all first occurred on that memorable day of Pentecost, way
back in the first century A.D, still, to this very day, in a very real sense,
we’ve never shown an ability to duplicate GOD’s great example that we see
here. In fact, we have failed, as GOD’s greatest creation, to follow suit
in too many other biblical examples also, simply because, too often, we only
seem to place value on our own “human ingenuity”, and thereby, we de-value the
things of GOD, even in “the Church House”.
I’ve
often stated that, it seems as if GOD has placed a hunger and thirst inside of
each of us, innately from birth, and the only way to satisfy that hunger or
thirst is by seeking and ultimately finding HIM. It is for the purpose of GOD
that mankind was ever created in the first place, and just as no man has ever
created anything that wasn’t for his own purpose or benefit, so it is with GOD.
Man was created to serve GOD, and until we are able to grasp and understand
that, we’ll just continue to meander around, looking for physical answers, to
problems, that have always been spiritual.
A
Sunday school lesson by,
Larry
D. Alexander
LARRY D. ALEXANDER-
Official Website
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