Bell's Commentary on the Bible

1. Intro:
   1. This week, on the eve of Sept 11, Russia tested what was nicknamed “Father of all Bombs”, making it the most powerful publicly-known conventional (non-nuclear) weapon in the world.
      1. The weapon yields the equivalent of 44 tons of TNT using 7.8 tons of a new type of high explosive, w/a blast radius of 990’. (Twice as MOAB)
      2. In this chapter God the Father drops the “Father of all Bombs” in an upper room in Jerusalem.
         1. And its blast radius hits “every nation under heaven” (5).
2. SPIRITUAL EXPLOSION! (1-13)
   1. PENTECOST! (1)
   2. Pentecost – Is one of the 3 major feasts of ancient Judaism.
      1. Pesach (Passover) – encompassed [Lamb, Unleaven Bread, 1st Fruits]
      2. Shavuot (Feast of weeks/Pentecost) –
      3. Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacle/Booths) – To remind Israel of wilderness wanderings, build booths/shelters outside, for a week.
      4. The Feasts of Weeks/Pentecost is found in Lev.23:15-21.
      5. At start of Harvest(Feast of 1st fruits) they’d bring a wave offering of wheat; Now (7 weeks later, or 50 days “Pente”) at the end of harvest, they bring a wave offering of 2 loaves of bread.
         1. In waving this sacrifice (holding it out to the altar, & bringing it back again)
         2. It was dedicated to Him/God(motion forward), then it was received back(motion sheaves back), representing the harvest had come from God, to the worshipper. It was an expression of gratitude, of God supplying their daily bread.
   3. A coincidence then, that the Holy Spirit brings the Power the disciples need to be witnesses of Jesus in Jerusalem, Judaea, Samaria, & to the uttermost parts of earth precisely on the day designated for Jews to lift their thanks to Yahweh for the Harvest? (Peter Wagner; Acts of the Holy Spirit; pg.65)
      1. The disciples were about to begin reaping a harvest of souls that has continued now for almost 2,000 years.
      2. Jn.4:35,36 “Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life,”
   4. Pentecost is the Churches Birthday!
   5. What were the disciples praying for with one accord in one place?
      1. They were in a unity of “place, time, purpose, & prayer”.
      2. They were praying for the H.S. to come upon them, & impart to them the power needed for carrying the gospel across all conceivable boundaries.
      3. They were praying that God would send them forth as laborers into the harvest fields of the day.
   6. I wonder if it’s right to pray…to simply share the gospel. I wonder if our prayer focus should be more towards actually winning souls?
      1. Jesus came to actually save the lost, not just tell them they were!
      2. Maybe, just maybe, we should aim higher?
   7. VISIBLE SIGNS OF THE INVISIBLE SPIRIT! (2-4)
   8. The Title of my message is Spiritual Explosion.
      1. Explosion = a sudden noisy release of energy.
   9. 1^st Sign is AUDIBLE! (2)
   10. The sound must have been tremendous!
       1. Maybe you grew up in an area that had real windstorms, or tornados, or hurricanes & can appreciate the volume of strong winds.
       2. This sound was so loud the people in the Temple area of Jerusalem were drawn toward it to see what strange thing might be happening[6]
   11. 2^nd Sign is VISUAL! (3)
   12. At the same time the disciples actually saw 120 separate fires shaped like tongues resting on one another.
       1. Fire in OT was often used by God to give tangible evidence of His Power
       2. Elijah experienced God’s Power w/the Baal prophets. [Fire from Heaven]
       3. Moses experienced God Presence in the burning bush. [Fire in Bush]
       4. Isaiah experienced God Holiness when lips were touched w/burning coal] [Fire on Lips]
       5. Christians if we want to be used by God in world evangelism, we need to experience His Power, live in His presence, & be characterized by His Holiness! (Peter Wagner)
   13. In his sermon, “A Dangerous Pentecost,” Halford Luccock tells of Lorenzo de’Medici, the great Florentine patron of the arts who was very proud of the spectacles he staged for the citizenry. Among his productions were several amazingly realistic religious pageants performed in church. But one Pentecost, Lorenzo went too far: he used actual fire to depict the descent of the tongues of flames on the apostles. The fragile stage set caught fire and, before horrified onlookers, the entire church burned to the ground. (Charismatic Chaos, J. MacArthur, Jr., Zondervan, 1992, p. 175)
       1. Moral: pray for Pentecostal power, but don’t try to manufacture it!
   14. G. Campbell Morgan said, “There was born the Christian Church, not by sprinkling of water, not by votes & resolutions, not by creeds formulated & signed, but by the baptism of the wind & fire of God.”
   15. 3^rd Sign is ORAL! (4)
   16. They spoke in at least 15 different languages, they had never learned.
   17. The miraculous event accomplished through the Holy Spirit amounts to a reversal of Babel (Genesis 11:1–9).
       1. Back then, God confounded the speech of people misusing their unity for sinful purposes.
       2. Here, God enabled people whose different languages separated them, to understand each other praising God, which is the proper use of unity. (Stern, D. H. (1992). Jewish New Testament commentary : A companion volume to the Jewish New Testament. Includes index. (1sted.) (Ac 2:4). Clarksville, Md.: Jewish New Testament Publications.)
   18. Difference between the tongues used here & that of 1 Cor.12,14.
       1. It could be distinguished by calling this the miracle of language & the other as a gift of tongues.
   19. Pentecost marked the 1^st of 5 bestowals of the Holy Spirit.
       1. Here, Jerusalem(2:4); in Samaria(8:17); Saul(9:17); Cornelius & house(10:44); Ephesian believers(19:6).
       2. One baptism, many fillings!
   20. As one noticed the Holy Spirit didn’t distribute “pens” but tongues at Pentecost; for the gospel was to be proclaimed by human lips.
       1. If we are filled with the Holy Spirit we shall witness by Lip & Life to those not in Christ; & the H.S. will be…
          1. In us as presence of God in our life;
          2. On us as power of God in our work;
          3. Through us as manifestation of God in our testimony!
       2. They began to speak…doing what God intended!
   21. SHOCK & AWE OF UNBELIEVERS! (5-13)
   22. From every nation – i.e. the nations of the 1^st century Jewish dispersion.
       1. These were Jews who lived w/their families in Jewish communities outside of the Holy Land. (known as Hellenistic Jews)
          1. Distinguished from the Jews living in The Land.
   23. Parthians(Iran) & Mesopotamia(Iraq).
   24. List of 15 probably not a complete list.
   25. Proselytes – Gentiles by birth, decided to convert to Judaism.
   26. Arabs – Jews from Arabia (not Arabs as we think of today).
   27. This is one of the best attested events. So many people witnessed this!
   28. (8) This verse is an important verse in evangelism as it is the 1^st time the disciples took the gospel across a discernable cultural barrier. (cross-cultural, or E-2 evangelism)
       1. ​​​​​​​The gap between the Hebrews & the Hellenists was more formidable than some might think.
       2. Example: the Elamites never had returned to the Holy Land, but settled down in the area north of the Persian Gulf.
       3. They had very little in common with each other.
       4. Not only were virtually all believers up to this point Hebrew Jews, they were also Galilean Hebrews as opposed to Judean Hebrews.
       5. Some commentators refer to them as the Hillbillies of the day, culturally backward.
          1. But the Galileans were the aggressive evangelists, the instruments chosen by God to take the good news…to Hellenist from all over the world. (Peter Wagner; Acts of the Holy Spirit; pg.72)
   29. We hear in our own language in which we were born – God shows respect for the culture & language of each of the groups mentioned here.
       1. Why is this important because, it isn’t only for Israel, it’s not a “white man’s religion”, it transcends race, creed, color, or culture.
       2. To evangelize effectively, the gospel must be preached in their heart language, & the Bible must be translated into their vernacular.
       3. Oh the importance of distinguishing what is a non-negotiable part of the Christian faith from cultural baggage the missionary might be carrying along with them as foreigners.
   30. (12,13) Some amazed & perplexed…others mocking –
       1. Some accept it, some reject it; some receptive, some resistant.
       2. But remember not all crops ripen at the same time!
          1. Even the same crop does not all ripen at once.
          2. Example: In the U.S. wheat in the southern states ripens before the wheat in the northern states.
   31. (13) They are full of new wine –
       1. Well, in a sense…yes they are!!!
       2. Lk.5:37,38 “no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine will burst the wineskins and be spilled, and the wineskins will be ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins, and both are preserved.” [In that sense…they were full of new wine!]
   32. Christ for believers – a Savior accepted; Christ in believers – a Friend experienced; Christ through believers – a Master manifested. (Griffith Thomas; Acts; pg.54)
   33. End: We’re told “Nature abhors a vacuum” (ex: If you pumped out all the air out of a bottle & sealed it, it would create a vacuum inside. If you put a hole in the bottle, air rushes in to “fill” it, because of the air pressure around the bottle).
       1. Thus the state of being full, or fullness, is 1 of the necessities of life.
       2. But full of what? There are right types of fullness, & wrong types.
          1. Right Types: Once we are full of the Holy Spirit, this leads to fullness of Wonder(3:10); Doctrine(5:28); Wisdom(6:3); Faith(6:5,8); Power(6:8); God words (9:36); Joy(13:52); & Gladness(14:17).
          2. Wrong types: Lying(5:3); Indignation(5:17); Deceit & Fraud(13:10); Envy(13:45); Confusion(14:29); Wrath (19:28).
   34. “Spiritual Nature abhors a vacuum” also.
       1. You’re full of something…the question is…of what?
          1. ​​​​​​​Or, Full of the Holy Spirit?
          2. Full of yourself? Full of this world?

1. Intro:
   1. Spurgeon’s Preachers College had a tradition of giving students a text right on the spot, & had them preach it to Mr. Spurgeon & the staff. One time one student was given Zacchaeus as his subject.
      1. The student stood & said, “Zacchaeus was of little stature; so am I - Zacchaeus was up a tree; so am I - Zacchaeus came down; so will I” And he sat down.
   2. Here, Peter is put on the spot…but gets to deliver “The Inaugural Sermon of the age of Grace!”
      1. Peter takes the 1^st match, & ignites the 1^st wild fire, which covers 3000 acres, warming them with the Good News!
   3. Outline: This starts with, What does this Mean? & ends with, What Shall We Do?
2. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? [from vs.12] (14-35)
   1. They had asked, What does this mean?(12), & now they were about to know!
   2. (15) Drunk? - This was no Distilled Spirits; this was none other than The H.S.!
   3. (17-21) Overview: The last days(17) means that period of time between Jesus’ 1^st coming & His 2^nd Coming. (The period of time in which we live today)
      1. 1^st he shares about the beginning of the outpouring (17,18); Then about its ending (Tribulation time) (19,20).
         1. It’s dawning of this age, & its sunset!
      2. And, what happens in-between? (21) “Whoever calls…”.
   4. So, the last days encompass: the outpouring of the H.S.; Prophecy; Visions & Dreams; Signs & Wonders; & Salvation to those who believe!
      1. Keep in mind: neither signs nor wonders, nor prophecy nor visions, nor dreams…save people!
      2. Only the gospel of Christ is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes.
   5. Next he’ll answer: “who is the Lord?”, & “what is salvation?” from(21).
   6. Peter’s 4 Point Sermon about Jesus of Nazareth! (22-36)
   7. [1] Jesus Life & Ministry on earth! (22)
   8. He now leads them on a blood stained path, right up to Calvary!
   9. [2] Jesus Crucifixion! (23)
      1. (a) God’s Best! (23a)
      2. Octavious Winslow nails it on the head when he said, “Who delivered up Jesus to die? Not Judas for money; not Pilate for fear; not the Jews for envy; But the Father, for Love!”
      3. (b) Man’s Worse! (23b)
      4. John Stott said, “Before we can see the cross as something done for us, we have to see it as something done by us!”
   10. In summary: “I did it, my sins sent him there; He did it, His love took him there!”
   11. [3] Jesus’ Resurrection! (24-32)
   12. (24) When death stung Jesus Christ, it stung itself to death! ☺
   13. (29) David obviously wasn’t speaking of himself. His tomb was a tourist attraction even back then.
   14. [4] Jesus’ Exaltation! (33-35)
   15. Note Peter’s sermon was: Simple; Scriptural (quoting Joel & the Psalm); Christ-Centered; Convicting; & Practical.
       1. It started w/ What does this mean? & now ends w/ What do we do?!
3. WHAT DO WE DO? (36-41)
   1. ​​​​​​​Ok, how exactly does one become a Follower of Christ?
      1. We learn from this group that there is a time when one is not a Christian, & then one is!
      2. Something happened to this group, they moved from one position to another. They were “added” to the church. (41,47)
      3. 1^st they did not belong, then they did!
   2. 3000 people underwent a complete change. Their whole position was revolutionized. Their thinking, their actions, their outlook were all changed.
      1. Ok, so HOW did it happen???
         1. It wasn’t the preaching of Peter (though it was incredible!)
      2. It was only one thing, & it happens in every individual that has ever been saved…It is the action of the Holy Spirit!
         1. They were cut to the heart!
      3. You don’t take up Christianity. [You can take up Christian Science, You can take up & many cults. You can even join a church] But you cannot take up Christianity.
         1. By definition Christianity is something that takes you up.
         2. It’s not something you do, but something that is done to you. 3.2.3.2.1.It is the Power of the Holy Spirit!
      4. Paul said, “you, He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,…and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),” Eph.5:1-5
      5. The Spirit of God was using the Word of God & applying it to them!
   3. The Holy Spirit 1^st caused them to think!
   4. Let all the house of Israel “know” – They were made to think.
      1. Some think Christianity is brainless & thoughtless. If anything, false religion is the Opium of the masses…but not Christianity!
      2. To repent one must think – because repent (metanoia) means to have a what? A change of mind!
      3. The Spirit always leads people to think. (Think about: your situation, life, death, the hereafter, think about your sin, etc.)
      4. The greatest trouble is that men/women go through life w/o thinking.
      5. Or, they think for a moment but find it too painful, so they stop & turn to a bottle of Jack Daniels, or TV, or something…anything to forget!!!
      6. And what does the Spirit make us think about? Not 1^st & foremost about ourselves. News Flash: “Christianity doesn’t start with us!”
         1. ​​​​​​​It doesn’t start with your sin, your happiness, nor your peace!
         2. No, these people in Jerusalem were made to think about Jesus!
      7. Listen to these 6 steps:
   5. [1] We must 1^st face the person of Jesus Christ - His life, His death, His res!
   6. [2] We must own our part! “whom you crucified”
      1. Peter loved them enough to tell them the truth regarding their spiritual bankruptcy!
   7. [3] Then we must understand He is both Lord & Christ!
      1. They saw they had been fighting against God & rejecting His Christ.
      2. There is no greater sin than not to see any need of Jesus Christ!
         1. Who are the greatest sinners in the world? - Those who don’t think about Christ at all!
   8. [4] This of course leads to conviction! “cut to the heart”
      1. ​​​​​​​Peter had a better aim this time! (He didn’t cut off an ear, but instead cut hearts!) [A Bleeding Savior makes men’s heart bleed! (Spurgeon)]
      2. ​​​​​​​The Spirit gives a Warning, to the heart, the soul, the conscience!
         1. Story - On March 18, 1937, a spark ignited a cloud of natural gas that had accumulated in the basement of a London, Texas, school. The blast killed 293 people, most of them children. It was because of this accident that an odor was given to natural gas. The smell became a “warning” if you smelt it!
      3. This cutting to the heart, this conviction, this guilt is like that odor… it’s a warning of danger to come!
   9. [5] This leads to our heart responding by asking, what shall I do?
      1. “What can we DO”! (pray more? give more? work more?)
         1. ​​​​​​​No! Simply follow vs.38.
      2. It’s when you realize, I am apart of the crooked generation! (40)​​​​​​​
      3. It’s when one acknowledges, “There’s something spiritually wrong with me.” “I’m in trouble.” “I stand guilty before God.”
         1. Perverse – Gk.(skolios) where we get Scoliosis “an abnormal curvature of the spine”. {winding, twisted, slanted, crooked}
      4. There is nothing left to do but cry out to the Lord! “what shall we do?”
   10. [6] This leads to obedience – to Repent & be Baptized.
       1. Repent – He asks them, adopt an entirely different view about Christ!
          1. They had already felt bitter remorse for their sin, but alone that cannot save them.
       2. They must go to the next step & change what they believe.
          1. They must believe Jesus is the Son of God & that His death & resurrection grants them new life.
       3. This repentance & belief then are twin concepts (Mrk 1:15 {Jesus’ 1^st teaching} “Repent, and believe in the gospel.")
       4. Baptism – “the primary outward, visible action that validates the inward decision to follow Jesus Christ as Lord & Savior.” (Peter Wagner; The Acts of the Holy Spirit; pg.81)
          1. Peter was saying, if you’re serious about receiving remission of your sins, you should prove it by being baptized immediately.
   11. Well, that’s the 6 things I found.
   12. (39) Have you shared this w/your children?
       1. I read a story about a 4 yr-old named Amanda who went to the doctor's office with a fever. The doctor looked in her ears and said, "Who's in there? Donald Duck?" She said, "No." He looked in her nose and said, "Who's in there? Mickey Mouse?" Again she said, "No." He put his stethoscope on her heart and said, "Who's in there? Barney?" Amanda replied, "No, Jesus is in my heart. Barney is on my underwear!"
       2. Q: Have you shared this promise to your children?
   13. To all who are afar off – That’s us! – Is that you today?
       1. Q: Has the Holy Spirit cut your heart this morning?
       2. Q: Are you ready to make a confession, w/o any reservations, & cast yourself entirely upon God’s mercy & Love?
       3. Isaac Watts sang, Love so amazing, so divine, Demands my soul, my life, my all! ☺
   14. Invite up worship team:
       1. Romulo has a new song for us(Chris Tomlin, Heart of Mine), but especially for those cut to the heart this morning, & would like to receive salv.
       2. Oh heart of mine, why must you stray? From one so fair you run away
          And one more time you have to pay The heaviness of needless shame
          Oh heart of mine, come back home You've been too long out on your own
          And He's been there all along Watching for you down the road So come home running
          His arms are open wide His name is Jesus He understands
          He is the answer You are looking for So come home running Just as you are
          Oh child of God so dearly loved And ransomed by the Savior's blood
          And called by name, "daughter" and "son" Wrapped in the robe of righteousness
       3. Invitation:
   15. (41) 3000 spiritual newborns!
       1. ​​​​​​​This means great responsibilities, & a lot of work.
       2. We’ll talk about the Best way for these newborns to get grounded in the Lord…next week!

Fray Song (How To Save A Life) - According to lead singer and songwriter Isaac Slade, the song was composed and influenced by his experience while working as a mentor at a camp for troubled teens:

One of the kids I was paired up with was a musician. Here I was, a protected suburbanite, and he was just 17 and had all these problems. And no one could write a manual on how to save him.

Slade claims that the song is about all of the people that tried to reach out to the boy but were unsuccessful. As Slade says in an interview, the boy's friends and family approached him by saying, "Quit [the problem behavior] or I won't talk to you again," but all he needed was some support.

The verses of the song describe an attempt by an adult to confront a troubled teen. In the chorus, the singer laments that he himself was unable to save a friend because he did not know how.

1. Intro:
   1. I guess the 1^st church was a Mega-Church!
      1. Key is community/intimacy whatever the size.
      2. The church is about both quantity & quality. The 2 should never be thought of as separate. Healthy churches usually grow!
   2. Well, let’s check out the 1^st church plant!
2. THE CHURCH’S QUAD’S! (42-47)
   1. The 1^st church of Jerusalem:
      1. Wouldn’t it be great to peek at the “minutes”, the records of the 1^st church, & hear what was important to them.
      2. That’s exactly what we get to do. This contains the germ of everything else in the NT concerning the Christian Community.
   2. In vs.42 he gives us the 4 pillars that will prop up the church for centuries to come.
   3. Muscles that make up our thigh area are called…Quadriceps (Quad’s).
      1. It’s, “a large four-part muscle at the front of the thigh that acts to extend the leg.”
      2. Rectus Femoris – (rectus/straight). The straight muscle of the thigh.
      3. Vastus lateralis - is on the lateral(on the side/outside) side of the femur.
      4. Vastus medialis - is on the medial(middle/inside) side of the femur.
      5. Vastus intermedius - lies between those 2, on the front of the femur.
      6. Now, what happens when you haven’t been properly stretching or using your Quads, & you try to go out & sprint?
      7. For immediate treatment of pulls & strains use the R.I.C.E. treatment plan (Rest, Ice, Compression and elevation).
         1. If a church gets a spiritual pull or tear…use the D.F.B.P. treatment plan – Doctrine, Fellowship, Bread, Prayer.
      8. If The Church is to arise & walk it must always have its Quads in good working condition.
         1. Let’s take a good look at its Quad’s!
   4. DOCTRINE!
   5. Divine truth for both: light for the mind & food for the heart!
   6. There is no church life possible apart from prominence give to the Word of God.
      1. It’s simply learning more about God!
   7. Safeguard: for new converts against danger of error!
   8. FELLOWSHIP!
   9. Christianity is 1^st individual, then social/communial/community.
      1. Christ 1^st attaches the soul to Himself, then connection between one & another in Him is inevitable.
      2. It keeps us both growing vertically with God, & horizontally to each other at the same time.
      3. Here’s an area we at CCM identified where we need to absorb new families & individuals more rapidly as the 1^st church did here.
         1. Pastor Dan will be talking about “Threshold” classes very soon.
   10. Fellowship = koinonia. “To partner, to share in common interest.” “A deep association”.
       1. A Partnership that involves Participation.
       2. It’s a relationship not an activity, not just being social, not superficial friendliness!
          1. You might know someone who is pleasant, friendly, & kind, & you can pass the time with them with no disputes or quarrels, but that’s not fellowship. (Martin-Lloyd Jones; Acts; pg.136.)
       3. It’s a Spiritual Organic (developing gradually & naturally) Community!
       4. (Read 44) They shared what was common & that was? Christ!
          1. And now they also had the Holy Spirit in their life.
   11. It’s a family issue! – If you leave a human father or mother, for my sake, it’s all right. You’ll have fathers, mothers, a hundred-fold, in this present life; you will have a new family! That is what is meant by fellowship.
       1. It’s meeting with together with the family to learn about who God is; It’s meeting with together with the family to have fellowship w/them; It’s meeting with together with the family to break bread with them; It’s meeting with together with the family to pray with them.
       2. “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren.” 1 Jn.3:14 [So people that don’t participate in a church are really saying, “I love the saints, I just can’t stand being around them”???]
       3. 3000 were converted & joined the fellowship. Nothing could keep them away. Love for the brethren had become one of the biggest & deepest things in their life. Stronger even then earthly ties.
          1. The proof of Christianity is that it changes people, it gives them a new birth, & they belong to a new family!
   12. This corporate aspect is of supreme importance because an unattached Christian life is impossible.
       1. The word “saints” used in the NT is never used in the singular! (62 x’s)
       2. Did you know that 1/3 of the Fruit of the spirit mentioned in Galatians can’t be done with being in association with other believers?
          1. 1^st 3 are God-ward - love, peace, joy.
          2. 2^nd 3 are man-ward - longsuffering, kindness, goodness.
          3. Last 3 are inward - faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
   13. Safeguard: for new converts against danger of coldness!
   14. BREAKING OF BREAD!
   15. The Lord’s Supper. The church started this at once!
   16. Do this (obedience) in remembrance of me (remember is redemptive work) till He comes (Hope for the future). Take this & divide it among yourselves (fellowship, unity, one body).
   17. So some reasons for communion together:
       1. The Lord commanded it (Do this in remembrance of me);
       2. ​​​​​​​To preserve the doctrine (the Lord wanted to preserve the truth throughout the ages, proclaiming His death till He comes!);
       3. To preserve the unity of the church (1 Cor.10:16,17 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread.)
          1. See, the Corinthian church was split, “I support Paul! I follow Peter! Apollos is da man!”
          2. When you come to the communion table you must forget about Paul, Apollos, Peter, Chuck, me, & anyone else who has ever preached…you must ONLY see Christ!
   18. ​​​​​​​Safeguard: for new converts against danger of superficiality!
   19. Do communion: Invite up Romulo, ushers will pass out communion during this next song.
       1. Do this in remembrance of me…Remember what? Remember there is only one message of Hope! Only one word of cheer! It’s, “God so radically cherished/prized the world, that He gave His Son Jesus!”
          1. He has given, look back, it’s already been done.
       2. The Bread stands for the broken body; the poured out wine stands for the poured-out blood!
       3. Partake if you’re part of the family; join the family; partake when your heart is ready(on your own).
   20. PRAYERS!
   21. Let’s 1^st say what its not: It’s not saying your prayers; it’s not hurrying through a few memorized phrases; It’s not whipping through the Lord’s Prayer.
   22. So what is prayer? – They were filled with the Holy Spirit & they prayed extempore (out of the moment), the prayed willingly, freely, one after another.
       1. One example in 4:23-31. Peter & John were arrested, arraigned, & set free, on 1 condition; “they didn’t ever preach nor perform miracles in Jesus’ name!” This was very serious. This was the authorities attempt to exterminate the Christian church.
          1. These leaders were trying to kill the baby soon after it was born. She was fighting for her very life!
   23. What is prayer? – #1 It’s to enter the Holiest place!
       1. ​​​​​​​Heb.10:19-23 “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.”
       2. It’s getting to go in, where for centuries only 1 man could go, only 1 time a year, to meet with God (High Priest).
       3. Prayer then is entering into His very presence!
   24. #2 It’s having Thanksgiving!
       1. ​​​​​​​If we realize who God is & what He’s done, thanksgiving will have a very prominent part in our prayers.
   25. #3 It’s having Supplication!
       1. ​​​​​​​Let your requests be made known to God. Philip.4:6.
       2. Some requests: need for humility, need for help, need for strength, need for boldness, etc.
       3. It’s not easy to keep walking straight ahead, & to keep pure & clean in a dirty world.
   26. This is why the early Christians prayed!
       1. So the test isn’t: whether you talk cleverly.
       2. The test is: “Do you hunger & thirst after righteousness? Do you want to know Him? Are you seeking His face because He is God, the Inspirer & Hearer of prayer?”
   27. Prayer answers the plea, “If only I could find somebody who could, at one & the same time, understand us & sympathize with us & yet be capable of standing in God’s holy presence & know Him also!” (Martyn-Lloyd Jones)
   28. As we pray together – the presence of God will be realized, His power will be received.
   29. Safeguard: for new converts against danger of independence!
       1. ​​​​​​​Without Him we can do nothing!
   30. Quadruped – 4-footed animal. Ever see a 3-legged dog? They can get around…but they sure look funny doing it! Ever see a 3-legged church?
   31. Church arise…and “Flex your Quad’s!”
   32. RESULTS! (43-47)
   33. (43) Result coming out of vs.42? – It was so real & so powerful.
       1. So Real – Awe & reverence fell on all those around.
       2. So Powerful – miracles were done by Apostles testifying to presence of God.
   34. (44,45) Common (κοινα [koina]) - It was not actual communism(because this voluntary), but they held all their property ready for use for the common good as it was needed (4:32).
       1. This situation appears nowhere else except in Jerusalem and was evidently due to special conditions there which did not survive permanently. (Robertson, A. (1997). Word Pictures in the New Testament. Vol.V c1932, Vol.VI c1933 by Sunday School Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. (Ac 2:44). Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems.) [Yet not an excuse, to not do the same]
       2. Ex: What a blessing as I heard this week: A couple needed a special bed & before we could even respond, the need was met by a brother who heard. ☺
   35. There was a common Faith (believed) communal fellowship (were together) community of goods (had all things in common).
   36. (45) Unselfish – reciprocal/mutual love of new community.
       1. Giving is one of essential marks of true Christian life, & proves reality of profession. (For where your treasure is, that’s where your heart is also!)
   37. Their relationship w/each other was so strong they couldn’t tolerate anyone in the church w/material need, while others enjoyed relative prosperity.
       1. A there were needs, they’d sell something off as they would if a family member had a need. (going beyond the tithe that was required at the time)
   38. (46) In the temple – Public fellowship.
   39. House to house – Domestic Fellowship(shared meals, then Lord’s supper).
       1. This is the biblical calling & mandate to eat all the time when we get together!!! ☺
   40. (47) Well, the 120 were out numbered, yet there was harmony in the church family.
       1. They worshipped daily, witnessed daily, & “the Lord added to the church daily.”
       2. Q: Is your experience with the Lord a daily one?
   41. Wow, what a church!