WEBVTT 00:00:01.289 --> 00:00:03.970 Let us now pray and ask for the Lord's blessing 00:00:03.970 --> 00:00:07.969 of the preaching of His word. Our God and our 00:00:07.969 --> 00:00:10.990 Father, thank you for sending the Spirit to give 00:00:10.990 --> 00:00:14.230 us life and to empower us for the call that you 00:00:14.230 --> 00:00:17.050 have given to us to carry your words of life 00:00:17.050 --> 00:00:19.730 to the ends of the earth. Please allow the words 00:00:19.730 --> 00:00:22.370 of my mouth and the meditations of all our hearts 00:00:22.370 --> 00:00:25.789 to be acceptable in your sight. O Lord, our rock 00:00:25.789 --> 00:00:28.530 and nearest kinsman, Redeemer, Jesus Christ, 00:00:28.969 --> 00:00:35.359 our risen Lord. Amen. Our sermon text today, 00:00:36.640 --> 00:00:40.920 four verses of Acts chapter 2, let us hear God's 00:00:40.920 --> 00:00:45.159 word. When the day of Pentecost had fully come, 00:00:45.479 --> 00:00:49.179 they were all with one accord in one place. And 00:00:49.179 --> 00:00:52.179 suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of 00:00:52.179 --> 00:00:54.359 a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole 00:00:54.359 --> 00:00:57.060 house where they were sitting. And there appeared 00:00:57.060 --> 00:01:00.240 to them to be divided tongues as of fire, and 00:01:00.240 --> 00:01:03.210 one sat upon each one of them. They were all 00:01:03.210 --> 00:01:05.810 filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak 00:01:05.810 --> 00:01:09.730 with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance 00:01:09.730 --> 00:01:13.829 These are the words of Almighty God receive them 00:01:13.829 --> 00:01:18.349 in your hearts The three things that we want 00:01:18.349 --> 00:01:20.370 to get out of the text today that I would like 00:01:20.370 --> 00:01:26.709 you to see are this Pentecost is creation renewed 00:01:26.709 --> 00:01:35.640 Pentecost is creation renewed Pentecost is Jesus' 00:01:35.980 --> 00:01:39.760 wedding gift to His bride. And if that's unfamiliar 00:01:39.760 --> 00:01:45.219 to you, the church is His bride. Pentecost is 00:01:45.219 --> 00:01:50.719 Jesus' wedding gift to His bride. And finally, 00:01:51.859 --> 00:01:56.379 Pentecost is for the church to bring life to 00:01:56.379 --> 00:02:00.239 the world. Pentecost is for the church to bring 00:02:00.239 --> 00:02:08.219 life to the world. As many of you know, the Gospel 00:02:08.219 --> 00:02:15.020 of John, the predominant part of it is Jesus' 00:02:15.340 --> 00:02:20.240 last week of life, beginning in chapter 12. However, 00:02:20.300 --> 00:02:23.159 if you go back just a few months, five and a 00:02:23.159 --> 00:02:28.460 half months in fact, we see from Pentecost to 00:02:28.460 --> 00:02:32.000 John chapter 7 that Jesus is standing in the 00:02:32.000 --> 00:02:37.439 temple during the Feast of Tabernacles. Jesus 00:02:37.439 --> 00:02:41.919 makes this declaration from our gospel reading 00:02:41.919 --> 00:02:45.699 verse 38 of chapter 7 says this he who believes 00:02:45.699 --> 00:02:49.819 in me as the scripture has said out of his heart 00:02:49.819 --> 00:02:57.300 will flow rivers of living water we've been following 00:02:57.300 --> 00:03:00.240 the church calendar concerning the life of Christ 00:03:00.240 --> 00:03:05.000 we saw during Advent the spirit overshadow Mary 00:03:08.469 --> 00:03:11.389 We've been reminded of our Lord's humble birth. 00:03:12.909 --> 00:03:16.650 We saw Jesus stooping low, literally condescending 00:03:16.650 --> 00:03:23.810 in humility. But His coming alone does not deliver 00:03:23.810 --> 00:03:28.289 us. Jesus lived a sinless life and experienced 00:03:28.289 --> 00:03:31.729 the same temptations that are common to all men. 00:03:32.870 --> 00:03:37.099 But this does not complete His work. on our behalf. 00:03:39.699 --> 00:03:43.080 Jesus gives his perfect life, his sinless life, 00:03:43.300 --> 00:03:47.340 as a substitutionary atoning sacrifice for his 00:03:47.340 --> 00:03:52.680 church. Now this meets our needs, but it doesn't 00:03:52.680 --> 00:03:57.340 complete the process of what Jesus is doing for 00:03:57.340 --> 00:04:02.340 us. We heard this morning in 1 Peter chapter 00:04:02.340 --> 00:04:07.199 3, for Christ, Suffered once for sins the job 00:04:07.199 --> 00:04:10.439 then the unjust that he might bring us to God 00:04:10.439 --> 00:04:13.319 Being put to death in the flesh, but made alive 00:04:13.319 --> 00:04:17.779 by the spirit The spirit by the will of the father 00:04:17.779 --> 00:04:22.240 brought life to Jesus that he would be that we 00:04:22.240 --> 00:04:28.399 would be reconciled to God We've considered the 00:04:28.399 --> 00:04:33.660 works Jesus after resurrection the evidence is 00:04:33.680 --> 00:04:38.740 provided to His disciples on those 40 days before 00:04:38.740 --> 00:04:42.959 His ascension, especially Jesus' explanation 00:04:42.959 --> 00:04:46.439 and teaching to His disciples that all of the 00:04:46.439 --> 00:04:51.019 law, the prophets, and the Psalms were about 00:04:51.019 --> 00:04:55.399 Him. Last week we celebrated Jesus' ascension 00:04:55.399 --> 00:04:58.720 to the right hand of the Father. Jesus is received 00:04:58.720 --> 00:05:01.949 as the firstborn of the resurrection. with all 00:05:01.949 --> 00:05:05.509 authority in heaven and on earth bestowed to 00:05:05.509 --> 00:05:13.230 him. And of course he's seated there until all 00:05:13.230 --> 00:05:17.110 his enemies are put under his feet. It's a real 00:05:17.110 --> 00:05:19.889 authority. It's a lasting authority. It is an 00:05:19.889 --> 00:05:26.769 authority that transforms the world. Jesus' plan 00:05:26.769 --> 00:05:32.019 to renew the broken world of men isn't in His 00:05:32.019 --> 00:05:35.860 presence on earth right now, because He's seated 00:05:35.860 --> 00:05:40.879 at the right hand of the Father. John 16 tells 00:05:40.879 --> 00:05:44.779 us this, Jesus said, Nevertheless, I tell you 00:05:44.779 --> 00:05:48.240 the truth, it is to your advantage that I go 00:05:48.240 --> 00:05:51.379 away. For if I do not go away, hope will not 00:05:51.379 --> 00:05:55.139 come to you. But if I depart, I will send him 00:05:55.139 --> 00:05:57.740 to you." Throughout all of the Old Testament, 00:05:57.939 --> 00:06:00.740 we see that God was meeting people in one specific 00:06:00.740 --> 00:06:04.420 place. We know that Jesus told the woman at the 00:06:04.420 --> 00:06:08.959 well that there would be a time coming where 00:06:08.959 --> 00:06:12.339 they wouldn't worship in Jerusalem anymore, but 00:06:12.339 --> 00:06:15.920 wherever God's people were together. How does 00:06:15.920 --> 00:06:18.949 that happen? It isn't simply because Jesus is 00:06:18.949 --> 00:06:21.370 on the throne. It is because He pours out His 00:06:21.370 --> 00:06:24.230 Spirit. The Spirit flows out from the throne 00:06:24.230 --> 00:06:29.069 of God the Father and Son, proceeding to the 00:06:29.069 --> 00:06:35.649 world. And if He doesn't ascend, the Spirit doesn't 00:06:35.649 --> 00:06:40.129 yet come. Jesus tells His disciples that it is 00:06:40.129 --> 00:06:43.050 to their advantage that He goes away, otherwise 00:06:43.050 --> 00:06:48.589 the helper. That paraclete the advocate the come 00:06:48.589 --> 00:06:54.029 The encourager the empowering life -giving spirit 00:06:54.029 --> 00:06:59.370 does not come Jesus declares that if he departs 00:06:59.370 --> 00:07:04.750 he will send the spirit to them and as the Nicene 00:07:04.750 --> 00:07:09.930 Creed emphasized It says the Holy Ghost is the 00:07:09.930 --> 00:07:17.290 Lord and giver of life Now on that day of Pentecost 00:07:17.290 --> 00:07:22.649 When 120 believers including the disciples are 00:07:22.649 --> 00:07:26.129 gathered in an upper room in obedience to Jesus 00:07:26.129 --> 00:07:30.050 in Jerusalem The spirit descends from heaven 00:07:30.050 --> 00:07:34.290 sounding like a mighty rushing wind it is the 00:07:34.290 --> 00:07:39.910 forcible breath of life and Just like the spirit 00:07:39.910 --> 00:07:46.550 hovering Spirit brings the breath of life to 00:07:46.550 --> 00:07:50.470 the new creation. Spirit is forming a people 00:07:50.470 --> 00:07:55.930 to become the new temple, the place where God 00:07:55.930 --> 00:08:02.730 dwells. In Exodus chapter 40, we see that the 00:08:02.730 --> 00:08:06.290 cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting and that 00:08:06.290 --> 00:08:10.209 the glory of Yahweh filled the tabernacle. It 00:08:10.209 --> 00:08:15.360 was a cloud with fire. Also, in 2 Chronicles 00:08:15.360 --> 00:08:18.800 chapter 7, when Solomon was dedicating the temple, 00:08:19.220 --> 00:08:21.459 we're told that when he had finished praying, 00:08:22.060 --> 00:08:25.699 that fire came down from heaven and consumed 00:08:25.699 --> 00:08:30.300 the burnt offering and sacrifices. And the glory 00:08:30.300 --> 00:08:33.759 of Yahweh filled the temple. We are told that 00:08:33.759 --> 00:08:37.340 the glory cloud filled the tabernacle and the 00:08:37.340 --> 00:08:39.460 temple and that neither with the tabernacle could 00:08:39.460 --> 00:08:42.320 Moses or any of the the priest stay in there 00:08:42.320 --> 00:08:45.700 nor at Solomon's dedication could the people 00:08:45.700 --> 00:08:49.120 stay could the inside of the temple when the 00:08:49.120 --> 00:08:51.960 when the spirit falls and the fire of God comes 00:08:51.960 --> 00:09:00.919 out in the Old Testament because sins are only 00:09:00.919 --> 00:09:06.049 temporarily and shadows and types Touched they're 00:09:06.049 --> 00:09:11.669 driven out from the presence of God On the day 00:09:11.669 --> 00:09:14.870 of Pentecost after the resurrection and the ascension 00:09:14.870 --> 00:09:18.509 of Jesus when the presence of the Spirit in cloud 00:09:18.509 --> 00:09:23.210 and wind and fire The hundred and twenty disciples 00:09:23.210 --> 00:09:27.889 are not driven away. They're not driven out But 00:09:27.889 --> 00:09:32.370 they receive the Holy Spirit To bring new life 00:09:32.370 --> 00:09:39.360 to the world As one commentator puts it, it says 00:09:39.360 --> 00:09:42.519 that fulfilled at Pentecost, the spirit is poured 00:09:42.519 --> 00:09:46.240 out, the spirit who writes not on stone, but 00:09:46.240 --> 00:09:50.580 on the tablet of human hearts. Two interesting 00:09:50.580 --> 00:09:53.759 things that are relating to the Old Testament 00:09:53.759 --> 00:09:57.759 feast of Pentecost is that it was celebrated 00:09:57.759 --> 00:10:03.919 both on the early wheat harvest and to remember 00:10:04.710 --> 00:10:09.009 Receiving the law of God's covenant at Mount 00:10:09.009 --> 00:10:13.210 Sinai So we begin to see the significance of 00:10:13.210 --> 00:10:17.309 the spirits work at Pentecost Symbolically remember 00:10:17.309 --> 00:10:20.629 back in Matthew chapter 9 where Jesus says Pray 00:10:20.629 --> 00:10:23.889 that the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers 00:10:23.889 --> 00:10:26.570 into the harvest because the harvest is plentiful 00:10:26.570 --> 00:10:31.049 Right. It is being fulfilled by the power of 00:10:31.049 --> 00:10:36.830 the spirit through people the church. By the 00:10:36.830 --> 00:10:40.110 way, it's interesting to take note that historically 00:10:40.110 --> 00:10:47.009 it takes 120 persons in order to establish a 00:10:47.009 --> 00:10:52.129 synagogue. And so here we have 120 people gathered. 00:10:52.450 --> 00:10:54.549 The Spirit is poured out to bring life to the 00:10:54.549 --> 00:11:01.950 world. And so we see God is forming a new house 00:11:01.950 --> 00:11:07.059 of prayer. a new house of worship. Pentecost 00:11:07.059 --> 00:11:10.679 had become a time to remember God's giving the 00:11:10.679 --> 00:11:14.039 law at Mount Sinai. And He gave that law on what? 00:11:14.559 --> 00:11:19.279 Tablets of stone. In God's promise of the establishment 00:11:19.279 --> 00:11:22.460 of His new covenant in Jeremiah 31, we hear this 00:11:22.460 --> 00:11:26.600 in verse 33. We see this fulfillment at Pentecost. 00:11:27.279 --> 00:11:29.440 This is the covenant that I will make with the 00:11:29.440 --> 00:11:31.899 house of Israel after those days, says Yahweh. 00:11:32.379 --> 00:11:35.919 will put my law in their minds and write it on 00:11:35.919 --> 00:11:40.559 their hearts and I will be their God and they 00:11:40.559 --> 00:11:44.820 shall be my people the good news of the gospel 00:11:44.820 --> 00:11:48.899 of the work of Jesus Christ to reconcile men 00:11:48.899 --> 00:11:51.980 to God by the forgiveness of their sins is being 00:11:51.980 --> 00:11:55.879 proclaimed in Jerusalem on that day of Pentecost 00:11:55.879 --> 00:11:59.840 now Pentecost was one of the high feasts that 00:11:59.840 --> 00:12:04.340 were which was required by God for all of the 00:12:04.340 --> 00:12:10.440 men of Israel to attend. During high feasts, 00:12:12.220 --> 00:12:16.080 everyone had to come to Jerusalem. And at that 00:12:16.080 --> 00:12:18.240 time, there were ordinarily somewhere about 50 00:12:18.240 --> 00:12:21.179 ,000 people living in Jerusalem, but it would 00:12:21.179 --> 00:12:24.440 swell up, just like Passover when Christ was 00:12:24.440 --> 00:12:31.740 crucified, swell up to almost 300 ,000. Acts 00:12:31.740 --> 00:12:36.460 2 records that there were devout Jews from every 00:12:36.460 --> 00:12:41.000 nation under heaven it says. We find listed a 00:12:41.000 --> 00:12:44.840 table of nations. Now this table of nations of 00:12:44.840 --> 00:12:48.580 sorts is symbolically from the four corners of 00:12:48.580 --> 00:12:51.340 the world. This is to remind us of the table 00:12:51.340 --> 00:12:55.919 of nations descending from Noah after the flood 00:12:55.919 --> 00:12:59.870 given in Genesis chapter 10. In Genesis chapter 00:12:59.870 --> 00:13:03.450 11, we see, after the nations are established, 00:13:04.049 --> 00:13:07.830 we see in Genesis 11 verse 1, now the whole earth 00:13:07.830 --> 00:13:14.049 had one language and one speech. This verse seems 00:13:14.049 --> 00:13:18.769 redundant in English, but the first word translated 00:13:18.769 --> 00:13:23.370 as language is the Hebrew word sofá, which can 00:13:23.370 --> 00:13:27.370 be interpreted and properly understood as religious 00:13:27.549 --> 00:13:31.730 culture. We see this emphasized in Zechariah 00:13:31.730 --> 00:13:37.889 3, Psalm 81, and Isaiah chapter 6. The point 00:13:37.889 --> 00:13:40.509 is that the peoples of Babel were not obeying 00:13:40.509 --> 00:13:44.889 God's command to take dominion and being fruitful 00:13:44.889 --> 00:13:48.289 and filling the whole earth. That's Genesis 1 00:13:48.289 --> 00:13:53.289 and Genesis 9. And we understand and are told 00:13:53.289 --> 00:13:57.309 here that they are of one language and one rebellious 00:13:57.360 --> 00:14:01.139 religious group. They were so unified in their 00:14:01.139 --> 00:14:04.220 arrogant idolatry, really self -idolatry, that 00:14:04.220 --> 00:14:08.759 they were building a man -made mountain so that 00:14:08.759 --> 00:14:12.360 they could make a name for themselves and be 00:14:12.360 --> 00:14:19.840 equal with God. The scripture kind of in a mocking 00:14:19.840 --> 00:14:22.919 way. As they're building their way up, building 00:14:22.919 --> 00:14:25.580 this mountain, trying to ascend to the heights 00:14:25.580 --> 00:14:28.720 of God to make a name for themselves, we're told 00:14:28.720 --> 00:14:32.799 that God came down. Their meager attempts and 00:14:32.799 --> 00:14:36.720 their rebellion, God still has to come down and 00:14:36.720 --> 00:14:42.600 look at what they're doing. They desire to be 00:14:42.600 --> 00:14:46.399 equal with God and have a name as high as God's 00:14:46.399 --> 00:14:51.659 name. And God comes down and as a grace, divides 00:14:51.659 --> 00:14:54.940 their speaking languages into many languages 00:14:54.940 --> 00:14:59.240 so that their evil would be constrained and not 00:14:59.240 --> 00:15:04.259 unified and require another worldwide judgment. 00:15:05.279 --> 00:15:08.000 Now, interestingly, it's also important to see 00:15:08.000 --> 00:15:11.419 what happens. What do they do? In his judgment, 00:15:11.679 --> 00:15:14.179 he divides them so they can't unify in their 00:15:14.179 --> 00:15:18.700 evil, but they also, because of these divisions, 00:15:19.039 --> 00:15:24.159 begin to go out and spread into the world reminds 00:15:24.159 --> 00:15:29.000 us that even in our rebellion, God's sovereign 00:15:29.000 --> 00:15:39.220 will is worked out. And so we see that God once 00:15:39.220 --> 00:15:43.360 again came down. We see this. Again, we've been 00:15:43.360 --> 00:15:45.960 studying it in the church calendar. We see this. 00:15:45.980 --> 00:15:50.460 We know this. We see that again, God comes down 00:15:50.460 --> 00:15:55.639 and contrasting to coming down in judgment. He 00:15:55.639 --> 00:15:58.500 does this. He comes down in the incarnation of 00:15:58.500 --> 00:16:01.720 Jesus who did not consider being equal with God 00:16:01.720 --> 00:16:04.519 something to be grasped and to be held onto. 00:16:05.419 --> 00:16:08.919 But he humbled himself even to the point of death 00:16:08.919 --> 00:16:14.220 for our behalf. And at the ascension, God exalted 00:16:14.220 --> 00:16:17.970 him. He exalted Jesus and gave him the name which 00:16:17.970 --> 00:16:20.169 is above every name the people of Babel were 00:16:20.169 --> 00:16:24.429 trying to make a name for themselves and Jesus 00:16:24.429 --> 00:16:29.409 said no I'm coming as a servant I'm going to 00:16:29.409 --> 00:16:33.470 deliver and reconcile these people and how is 00:16:33.470 --> 00:16:37.970 he going to do that? He's going to do that by 00:16:37.970 --> 00:16:42.990 coming down and being obedient to God and He 00:16:42.990 --> 00:16:46.450 will receive the name A name, at the name of 00:16:46.450 --> 00:16:49.110 Jesus, we know this, that every knee should bow, 00:16:49.429 --> 00:16:51.789 that those in heaven and those on earth and those 00:16:51.789 --> 00:16:54.970 under the earth, that every tongue should confess 00:16:54.970 --> 00:17:01.789 that Jesus to the glory of the Father. Philippians 00:17:01.789 --> 00:17:05.210 chapter two, if you want to mark that down. At 00:17:05.210 --> 00:17:08.869 Pentecost, we have a reversal of Babel, a table 00:17:08.869 --> 00:17:12.910 of nations, hearing the call of God to listen. 00:17:13.130 --> 00:17:17.789 their own languages and tongues the good news 00:17:17.789 --> 00:17:23.789 of Jesus work to restore men to write with God 00:17:23.789 --> 00:17:28.609 The spirit called Convicted them of that says 00:17:28.609 --> 00:17:30.369 they were pierced to the heart. What must we 00:17:30.369 --> 00:17:35.910 do to be saved? And Peter said repent and be 00:17:35.910 --> 00:17:40.730 baptized and so that day brought in by repentance 00:17:40.730 --> 00:17:47.200 and baptism 3 ,000 souls were added to the 120 00:17:47.200 --> 00:17:52.099 disciples that day. Remember when I said there's 00:17:52.099 --> 00:17:58.619 this swelling of Jerusalem to almost 300 ,000, 00:17:58.619 --> 00:18:05.779 and here we see 3 ,000? So we see 1%. 1 % has 00:18:05.779 --> 00:18:10.819 transformed. That's the beginning. Built. Christ 00:18:10.819 --> 00:18:15.269 Jesus as the cornerstone. The Apostles and the 00:18:15.269 --> 00:18:18.589 prophets is the foundation And it's beginning 00:18:18.589 --> 00:18:23.569 started out There's Jesus There's the Apostles 00:18:23.569 --> 00:18:30.730 There's the 120 there's the 3 ,000 Here the spirit 00:18:30.730 --> 00:18:35.089 establishes the new Jerusalem that we see pictured 00:18:35.089 --> 00:18:39.299 in Revelation 21 where it says that The angel 00:18:39.299 --> 00:18:41.960 carried John away in the spirit to a great high 00:18:41.960 --> 00:18:44.500 mountain and showed him a great city the holy 00:18:44.500 --> 00:18:49.299 Jerusalem descending out of heaven from god It 00:18:49.299 --> 00:18:52.880 is a true bringing of heaven to earth in the 00:18:52.880 --> 00:18:57.000 temple of god's people As one commentator puts 00:18:57.000 --> 00:19:00.180 it not so much a place, but the people themselves 00:19:00.180 --> 00:19:05.019 be temple The holy spirit consecrates human house 00:19:05.019 --> 00:19:08.509 He fills the people who are living who are the 00:19:08.509 --> 00:19:12.430 living stones of the new temple. And we see that 00:19:12.430 --> 00:19:16.049 there are no sacrificial pieces in this temple. 00:19:16.549 --> 00:19:20.710 Instead, Jesus takes his throne and he lights 00:19:20.710 --> 00:19:27.009 his people on fire. The disciples are made the 00:19:27.009 --> 00:19:31.730 altars. Right? Think about Romans 12. Be a living 00:19:31.730 --> 00:19:35.990 sacrifice to God. The disciples are made the 00:19:35.990 --> 00:19:40.430 living sacrifices. And so Pentecost reverses 00:19:40.430 --> 00:19:42.490 that curse of babble and babble, the divided 00:19:42.490 --> 00:19:46.650 nations, right, where they were confused and 00:19:46.650 --> 00:19:50.509 dying and falling into death. Pentecost reassembles 00:19:50.509 --> 00:19:54.069 the nations and joins them together because the 00:19:54.069 --> 00:19:59.470 gospel is preached in all languages. Now the 00:19:59.470 --> 00:20:02.410 languages aren't eliminated, so there are different 00:20:02.410 --> 00:20:05.279 languages that we should expect to see. It'll 00:20:05.279 --> 00:20:07.019 be interesting when we get to heaven and we see 00:20:07.019 --> 00:20:10.839 all these different languages singing to God 00:20:10.839 --> 00:20:17.220 and it will be unified. Each one of these folks 00:20:17.220 --> 00:20:20.279 hears the good news in their own language, but 00:20:20.279 --> 00:20:24.720 this diversity is brought into harmony and 3 00:20:24.720 --> 00:20:27.119 ,000 are baptized. And what do they do? They 00:20:27.119 --> 00:20:30.900 share a common table, the Lord's table, and they 00:20:30.900 --> 00:20:33.529 share their goods among each other. All that 00:20:33.529 --> 00:20:35.569 God has blessed them with, they share with one 00:20:35.569 --> 00:20:39.930 another. And they are devoted to prayers and 00:20:39.930 --> 00:20:43.450 a common teaching. Now this is important. Saints 00:20:43.450 --> 00:20:45.309 of God, I know you're here today. Most of you 00:20:45.309 --> 00:20:46.769 are here because you know that this is where 00:20:46.769 --> 00:20:49.410 you need to be on the Lord's Day. But one of 00:20:49.410 --> 00:20:51.809 the reasons that the church is so sick today 00:20:51.809 --> 00:20:54.329 is because we treat the church as if it's not 00:20:54.329 --> 00:20:59.480 even necessary. The church itself. the living 00:20:59.480 --> 00:21:01.680 stones of the temple, where we come together 00:21:01.680 --> 00:21:05.480 and gather. This is the place. And every place 00:21:05.480 --> 00:21:07.599 like this on the Lord's Day, where the Spirit 00:21:07.599 --> 00:21:11.140 is poured out, where we ascend into God's presence. 00:21:13.039 --> 00:21:16.380 And the Holy Spirit, with the rivers of life 00:21:16.380 --> 00:21:21.440 flowing from the throne, goes out to bring life 00:21:21.440 --> 00:21:23.920 to the world. And when you get the commission 00:21:23.920 --> 00:21:26.799 today, you're going to flow out in the power 00:21:26.799 --> 00:21:39.700 of the Spirit to bring life to the world. Heaven 00:21:39.700 --> 00:21:42.420 and earth in Christ Jesus are brought together. 00:21:43.940 --> 00:21:46.119 The Babel's builders wanted to link heaven and 00:21:46.119 --> 00:21:49.079 earth, and this is precisely what the Spirit 00:21:49.079 --> 00:21:52.700 accomplishes. The Spirit's arrival makes the 00:21:52.700 --> 00:21:58.309 church an open gate of God. Throughout acts we 00:21:58.309 --> 00:22:01.069 see God working by the gift of the Spirit empowering 00:22:01.069 --> 00:22:03.950 miracles Reminding God's people of the words 00:22:03.950 --> 00:22:09.109 of Jesus comforting guiding expanding and building 00:22:09.109 --> 00:22:15.009 the temple made of living stones and It continues 00:22:15.009 --> 00:22:20.549 this work today in this people the church The 00:22:20.549 --> 00:22:25.809 spirit is the coronation gift of Jesus to his 00:22:25.809 --> 00:22:29.890 church That's his that's his gift to his bride. 00:22:30.130 --> 00:22:33.490 He's coronated. He is and he sends forth the 00:22:33.490 --> 00:22:39.970 spirit So that we can bring life to others We're 00:22:39.970 --> 00:22:43.190 blessed We're strengthened. We're encouraged 00:22:43.190 --> 00:22:46.349 you are empowered by the spirit to be able to 00:22:46.349 --> 00:22:50.789 do all that God has called you to do You ever 00:22:50.789 --> 00:22:54.950 feel overwhelmed? Like life is too much that 00:22:54.950 --> 00:23:00.140 there's too many struggles And certainly, our 00:23:00.140 --> 00:23:02.799 sins and our troubles that we bring upon ourselves. 00:23:03.960 --> 00:23:07.880 Turn to Christ, trust the Spirit, and He is guiding 00:23:07.880 --> 00:23:16.440 you, He is leading you. Once enthroned, Jesus 00:23:16.440 --> 00:23:19.599 distributes gifts, and He distributes gifts by 00:23:19.599 --> 00:23:23.799 the giving, the one gift of all gifts, the Spirit. 00:23:24.900 --> 00:23:32.279 What an assurance. What a comfort. What is too 00:23:32.279 --> 00:23:36.920 hard for God? And it isn't like God is sort of 00:23:36.920 --> 00:23:39.680 on the outside. Oh, I got to come over here and 00:23:39.680 --> 00:23:41.839 help you in your circumstances or help you with 00:23:41.839 --> 00:23:44.319 this family situation or help you with this work 00:23:44.319 --> 00:23:48.279 situation. No, his sovereign providence is that 00:23:48.279 --> 00:23:52.579 work in your life every day. When you wake up 00:23:52.579 --> 00:23:55.799 whatever the circumstances are those are God's 00:23:55.799 --> 00:23:59.680 given providences in your life and the spirit 00:23:59.680 --> 00:24:06.579 will enable you To do God's will to be a life 00:24:06.579 --> 00:24:13.660 We see in Ezekiel 47 the new promised temple 00:24:13.930 --> 00:24:16.069 We are told that it will have a river flowing 00:24:16.069 --> 00:24:18.509 from the throne of God to the whole world and 00:24:18.509 --> 00:24:22.329 it says this and remember symbolically Right 00:24:22.329 --> 00:24:26.369 in in the Old Testament we see and we understand 00:24:26.369 --> 00:24:30.170 Gentiles are found in the sea. They're the fish 00:24:30.170 --> 00:24:33.650 all these things that you heard today from Psalms 00:24:33.650 --> 00:24:39.349 104 Right from Psalm 104 you hear all those things 00:24:39.349 --> 00:24:42.720 That's God's creation He looks upon them, He 00:24:42.720 --> 00:24:45.200 delivers them, He works in their life, and He 00:24:45.200 --> 00:24:50.400 was preparing them. And it says that, and it 00:24:50.400 --> 00:24:53.079 shall be every living thing that moves, whether 00:24:53.079 --> 00:24:56.160 the rivers, wherever the rivers go, will live. 00:24:56.700 --> 00:24:58.480 And there will be a great multitude of fish, 00:24:58.599 --> 00:25:00.539 because these waters go there, for they will 00:25:00.539 --> 00:25:03.839 be healed and everything will live wherever the 00:25:03.839 --> 00:25:07.559 river goes. Wherever God's people goes, by the 00:25:07.559 --> 00:25:11.380 living waters flowing out of His people, as churches 00:25:11.380 --> 00:25:20.180 as they worship. And they will be healed. And 00:25:20.180 --> 00:25:23.279 it says this, it tells us also in Ezekiel 4 -7 00:25:23.279 --> 00:25:25.259 that there will be fishermen to catch the fish, 00:25:25.680 --> 00:25:28.460 and that there will be trees lining that river, 00:25:28.839 --> 00:25:30.960 bearing fruit all year round, and their leaves 00:25:30.960 --> 00:25:34.359 will be for the healing of the nations. Make 00:25:34.359 --> 00:25:37.500 no mistake. When Jesus calls His disciples and 00:25:37.500 --> 00:25:40.299 He says, you will be fishers of men, He is talking 00:25:40.299 --> 00:25:46.579 about this passage in Ezekiel 47. And when He 00:25:46.579 --> 00:25:53.240 says that His people will be bearing fruit, right? 00:25:53.240 --> 00:25:55.400 What is He talking about? The fruit of the Spirit. 00:25:56.440 --> 00:25:59.000 And that the leaves, the things that strengthen 00:25:59.000 --> 00:26:00.740 and bear the fruit will be for the healing of 00:26:00.740 --> 00:26:06.079 the nations. It is for every nation. No people 00:26:06.079 --> 00:26:10.380 are unredeemable. No tribe or ethnic group is 00:26:10.380 --> 00:26:14.619 outside of the reach of the gospel and So bodies 00:26:14.619 --> 00:26:18.319 minds and souls of all kinds of men are united 00:26:18.319 --> 00:26:22.740 to one another in Christ to bring God's blessings 00:26:22.740 --> 00:26:28.259 new creation We heard in our epistle reading 00:26:28.259 --> 00:26:32.539 first Corinthians verse for by one spirit we 00:26:32.539 --> 00:26:35.920 were all baptized into one body, whether Jews 00:26:35.920 --> 00:26:39.579 or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and all have 00:26:39.579 --> 00:26:42.880 been made to drink into one spirit, for in fact 00:26:42.880 --> 00:26:48.559 the body is not one member, but many. Jesus and 00:26:48.559 --> 00:26:53.720 all of his disciples and so now us, and for all 00:26:53.720 --> 00:26:56.599 who are afar off, is to truly be fishers of men, 00:26:57.539 --> 00:27:02.089 a diverse catch from the nations. and growing 00:27:02.089 --> 00:27:05.990 into a mountain that will fill the whole earth. 00:27:07.069 --> 00:27:09.450 And our call to worship today from Psalm 104, 00:27:10.490 --> 00:27:13.750 it emphasized the great many creatures of the 00:27:13.750 --> 00:27:18.470 seas. Verse 29 said this, now this is real important, 00:27:18.509 --> 00:27:21.309 think about this as it relates to how God deals 00:27:21.309 --> 00:27:25.069 with us and how our basic problem is what? If 00:27:25.069 --> 00:27:28.750 we have a broken relationship with God, God's 00:27:28.750 --> 00:27:31.589 face is not shining upon us. His countenance 00:27:31.589 --> 00:27:34.369 is not upon us. And so you think about this. 00:27:34.849 --> 00:27:38.410 It says this in verse 29 of Psalm 104. You hide 00:27:38.410 --> 00:27:42.990 your face, and they are troubled. You take away 00:27:42.990 --> 00:27:46.750 their breath, and they die and return to dust. 00:27:47.230 --> 00:27:50.049 That's not just the sea creatures. That's all 00:27:50.049 --> 00:27:55.730 men. In verse 30 it says, you send forth your 00:27:55.730 --> 00:28:00.829 spirit, and they are created. End. you renew 00:28:00.829 --> 00:28:06.269 the face of the earth. And at the very last verse 00:28:06.269 --> 00:28:10.490 of verse 35 of Psalm 104, it says this, may sinners 00:28:10.490 --> 00:28:14.529 be consumed from the earth and the wicked be 00:28:14.529 --> 00:28:19.849 no more. Bless Yahweh, oh my soul. Praise Yahweh. 00:28:22.190 --> 00:28:25.930 What's happening here? They're being consumed 00:28:25.930 --> 00:28:31.700 by a holy fire. as living sacrifices, or they're 00:28:31.700 --> 00:28:35.940 being burned in the chaff, as chaff in judgment. 00:28:37.779 --> 00:28:40.539 God is holy. He sends forth His Spirit. It brings 00:28:40.539 --> 00:28:43.700 life. And as the fire of the Holy Ghost goes 00:28:43.700 --> 00:28:48.859 out, it transforms people, or it finds people 00:28:48.859 --> 00:28:52.940 and brings them to judgment. Now like all God 00:28:52.940 --> 00:28:56.609 distributes, it is not to be hoarded. but to 00:28:56.609 --> 00:28:59.990 be generously shared with others for their benefit, 00:29:00.509 --> 00:29:03.690 that is others' benefit, and for God's glory 00:29:03.690 --> 00:29:07.450 and praise. You know, this is always easy to 00:29:07.450 --> 00:29:09.750 say with money, right? If God really gives you 00:29:09.750 --> 00:29:12.089 with a lot of money, you should bless others 00:29:12.089 --> 00:29:17.589 with it, help them grow, right? So too with every 00:29:17.589 --> 00:29:23.309 gift you have, whatever the gift is, you too 00:29:23.309 --> 00:29:26.859 should be giving it. Too often we make our life 00:29:26.859 --> 00:29:28.839 with Christ to be this thing. Oh, man, it's so 00:29:28.839 --> 00:29:31.240 good to have my sins forgiven. It's so good to 00:29:31.240 --> 00:29:33.079 be with these people at church. It's so good 00:29:33.079 --> 00:29:38.700 for me, good for me, good for me. We're called 00:29:38.700 --> 00:29:41.640 to be conformed to Christ Jesus, which is to 00:29:41.640 --> 00:29:47.960 do what? Not cling, not hold on, but pour out 00:29:47.960 --> 00:29:57.940 that others may have life. As one commentator 00:29:57.940 --> 00:30:02.079 puts it, the river of living waters have a purpose 00:30:02.079 --> 00:30:09.000 to irrigate the land beyond you. Be careful. 00:30:09.799 --> 00:30:12.160 If you say what I'm doing and what God's work 00:30:12.160 --> 00:30:18.220 is for me and mine, no. Do you think actually 00:30:18.220 --> 00:30:21.500 you could hold back the waters of the river of 00:30:21.500 --> 00:30:28.529 the spirit flowing forth? Are you irrigating 00:30:28.529 --> 00:30:31.650 beyond yourself? Or do you think that the love 00:30:31.650 --> 00:30:35.109 of the Father, the work of Christ, and the power 00:30:35.109 --> 00:30:41.869 of the Spirit is just for you? Remember what 00:30:41.869 --> 00:30:50.990 Jesus said? He said, if you believe in Me, the 00:30:50.990 --> 00:30:54.630 waters of life will spring forth from you. How 00:30:54.630 --> 00:31:01.059 are you a well of life? Are you a well of life 00:31:01.059 --> 00:31:07.180 in your household? Men, would your husband say 00:31:07.180 --> 00:31:09.519 that you're a well of life? I mean, excuse me. 00:31:09.559 --> 00:31:14.420 Men, would your wives say? This is the extemporaneous 00:31:14.420 --> 00:31:18.720 part, not in the notes. Husbands, would your 00:31:18.720 --> 00:31:23.720 wives say that you're a well of life? Wives, 00:31:23.779 --> 00:31:25.839 would your husband say that you're a well of 00:31:25.839 --> 00:31:30.380 life? Parents, would the children in your household 00:31:30.380 --> 00:31:36.980 say that you're a well of life? Children, are 00:31:36.980 --> 00:31:41.640 you a well of life to your parents, to your brothers 00:31:41.640 --> 00:31:48.440 and sisters? What about to your coworkers? What 00:31:48.440 --> 00:31:52.920 about to your neighbors? What about that person 00:31:52.920 --> 00:31:56.880 that gets on your ever last nerve? Are you a 00:31:56.880 --> 00:32:01.420 well of life to them? Or are you vindictive? 00:32:01.420 --> 00:32:03.500 And I want to keep what God's given to me, and 00:32:03.500 --> 00:32:06.220 I don't want it to go and be a blessing to anybody 00:32:06.220 --> 00:32:11.420 else. Proverbs chapter 10, verse 11 says, the 00:32:11.420 --> 00:32:15.259 mouth of the righteous is a well of light, but 00:32:15.259 --> 00:32:18.799 violence covers the mouth of the wicked. Do your 00:32:18.799 --> 00:32:24.500 words give life? Proverbs 18 .21 says, death 00:32:24.500 --> 00:32:30.319 and life? are in the power of the tongue, and 00:32:30.319 --> 00:32:33.880 that those who love it will eat its fruit. This 00:32:33.880 --> 00:32:36.380 is why in the epistles, twice in the epistles, 00:32:36.980 --> 00:32:39.160 we are told that we are to give thanks to God, 00:32:39.420 --> 00:32:42.519 and we are to bless one another by singing psalms, 00:32:42.559 --> 00:32:45.720 hymns, and spiritual songs. That's part of our 00:32:45.720 --> 00:32:52.160 action item. Why do you suppose that is? Because 00:32:52.160 --> 00:32:57.220 sometimes, Our husbands exasperate us. Our wives 00:32:57.220 --> 00:33:00.480 antagonize us. Our children drive us to end. 00:33:00.660 --> 00:33:02.799 Our brothers and sisters are not kind to one 00:33:02.799 --> 00:33:09.420 another. So sing the praises of God and be thankful. 00:33:10.680 --> 00:33:14.299 Trust in him. Trust in his word. His word transforms 00:33:14.299 --> 00:33:17.180 things more than any word that you can utter 00:33:17.180 --> 00:33:21.160 yourself. So give thanks to God for where you 00:33:21.160 --> 00:33:29.359 find yourself and sing. his praises. When Jesus 00:33:29.359 --> 00:33:31.339 declared at the temple that those who believe 00:33:31.339 --> 00:33:33.759 in him out of their hearts would flow living 00:33:33.759 --> 00:33:38.000 waters, he was saying that waters flowing from 00:33:38.000 --> 00:33:41.000 the throne of life, that the life -giving spirit 00:33:41.000 --> 00:33:43.579 would be for the transformation of the world. 00:33:44.900 --> 00:33:47.859 On that first Pentecost, Jesus kept His Word 00:33:47.859 --> 00:33:49.880 and poured out the Spirit to bring life into 00:33:49.880 --> 00:33:52.599 the new temple, the living stones made up of 00:33:52.599 --> 00:33:56.819 His people. As you go out, flowing in the river, 00:33:57.339 --> 00:34:00.740 to the outposts of your households, to your jobs 00:34:00.740 --> 00:34:04.059 and your communities, believe in Christ Jesus. 00:34:04.640 --> 00:34:07.559 By the way, every time you disobey God's Word, 00:34:08.179 --> 00:34:10.880 you're saying, I don't believe. So obey. What 00:34:10.880 --> 00:34:13.889 did Jesus say? If you love me, You will obey 00:34:13.889 --> 00:34:21.309 my commandments. So obey his commandments. Be 00:34:21.309 --> 00:34:25.449 conformed to him, and be springs of living waters 00:34:25.449 --> 00:34:29.190 to your wives, to your husbands, to your children, 00:34:30.309 --> 00:34:34.889 to all those that God puts in your path. And 00:34:34.889 --> 00:34:37.610 truly too, as we hear in Acts chapter 2 verse 00:34:37.610 --> 00:34:42.059 21, And it shall come to pass that whoever calls 00:34:42.059 --> 00:34:46.039 on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Let us 00:34:46.039 --> 00:34:51.599 pray. Gracious God, we thank you for your providential 00:34:51.599 --> 00:34:54.739 provision for us through your Son, Jesus Christ. 00:34:55.539 --> 00:34:57.960 Please help us to remember that our only hope 00:34:57.960 --> 00:35:02.760 is in you. Help us to obey you, to live and proclaim 00:35:02.760 --> 00:35:05.820 your words of life every day in all that you 00:35:05.820 --> 00:35:09.110 have given to us. Help us, we pray, to believe 00:35:09.110 --> 00:35:12.690 in Jesus and grant the living waters to flow 00:35:12.690 --> 00:35:15.130 out of our hearts to your glory and the benefit 00:35:15.130 --> 00:35:18.429 of all those around us. We ask all these things 00:35:18.429 --> 00:35:21.650 for Jesus' sake, who reigns with you in the Holy 00:35:21.650 --> 00:35:32.190 Spirit, world without end. Amen. Let us continue 00:35:32.190 --> 00:35:35.269 our worship by the giving of our tithes and offerings.