2:12 And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, What does this mean? 13 But others mocking said, They are filled with new wine.

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1 Launching through the book of acts - Nay sayers, excuse makers, discounters, discreditors, and debby downers. - Changed man, altared man, authoritative speaker, not an ear slayer, or servant fleer, but a gospel preacher - Appealing to the crowds intellect, knowing your audience, meeting the culture where it's at without compromising - Life, death, burial, resurrection - THe responsibility and part they played in the death and punishment of Jesus, they were cut to the heart. - The question is asked...what shall we do? Ready hearts heard the gospel and were ready ripe to receive - Repent, be baptized in Jesus through the HS (Get saved) Receive the gift HS, - The Promise for you, kids, all afar off (distant lands, times)...everyone the Lord calls From the Book of Exodus...We ve been launched into the book of Acts The Book of the Acts is called the Acts of the Apostles in some Bibles, could better be called the Book of the Acts of the HS, proclaiming Jesus through the apostles. The purpose and plan of the Book can be summed up in Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power when the HS has come upon you, and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the end of the earth. And that s the theme of the entire book, every believer will be empowered by HS, directed by the HS, and preach Christ crucified to the world, starting on the inside of the sphere and working your way outwards, Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria... Acts gospel spread through Jerusalem Judea- Samaria takes the gospel to the rest of the known world! Kids and adults like a good superhero movie, the top characters that come to my mind are Superman, Batman, Spiderman, Captain America, Wonder Woman to name a few. You have these characters that look like normal people, who go through some kind of amazing transformation where they become superhuman. In many of these superhero stories the character often lives a double life. One life in the ordinary, another in the extraordinary. Superman is Clark Kent, a mild kind of geeky guy, that sneaks off into telephone booths, changes into tights & a cape and acts like a superhuman. Spider Man puts on his spidey suit, Batman puts on his garb.wonder Woman, well she forgets most of her attire, but none the less these characters paint a picture that we all can relate to identify with

2 We live in a fallible & fallen world where sin and suffering are running amuck. There are times we get caught up in the whirlwind of despair ourselves, & others when we see those we care about going through such tragedy...and you just wish you could hop in a phone both, put on the tights, and bust in and save the person in distress, but we feel powerless to do anything of significance, the word inability sings to our soul...there's nothing we feel we can say or do, we wish Spidey would sweep in and spin his web for what could little ole me do? After last week and this week I hope your view on this is very different...for Jesus is the ultimate original Super Hero. Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit, and Jesus sent to us the same power that filled him on earth (Luke 4) to live in this ordinary world doing the extraordinary through the power of the HS. He gives us the HS, to praise and worship God and to proclaim the message of hope. Every believer, not just some! Sending the Helper Scene of the tomb...mary could barely see, for the tears in her heart welled up as water in her eyes, she had trouble noticing it was Jesus. Until she heard him speak her name, Mary he said. She clung to Jesus outside the tomb, Mary let me go what you are clinging onto is only a fraction of who I am, I have important message to share through you.john 20:17 go tell the disciples that I amgoing, even though I am returning for 40 days, I am leaving, heaven bound...and it ll be good for you No doubt she remembered Jesus saying to the disciples...john 16:7 I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, only if I go, I will send him to you. What Jesus would not do in his earthly singular human body he wanted to do through the HS across the entire globe, through the hearts of every believer, across the rest of human history to come. No longer would the few come into Gods presence, through a barrier, God would make a way for HIM to come into our presence and into our the very depths of our hearts... baptising the disciples in the HS, pouring out His power through the hearts and lives of the believers... who would proclaim HIs word in all nations. But first Jesus would need to regenerate the hardened hearts and minds of his disciples, saving them from corruption & bringing them and us into incorruption! An impossible task by humanity s standards... It would truly be a transformation extraordinaire, and only the glory presence of God could cause such a transformation! It would take a GOdly encounter, a fire experience, to transform stone into flesh!

3 The New Testament teaches us that it s the Holy Spirit who makes us a Christian. It is the Holy Spirit who regenerates us & who dwells inside of us. You cannot be a Christian unless the Holy Spirit is living in you. Sending the transformed Jesus told the disciples before His death burial and Resurrection. I will be sending you into the world as sheep among wolves, oh that seems very comforting and encouraging, I m sending you on a journey, a mission, a difficult one, and oh by the way, you won't be able to do the job, is what he effectively was saying. Before He goes up to heaven after the ressurection he says go but wait The POWER. Acts 1:4-5; 8 he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, you heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. THE PLAN before you GO WAIT! The mission was so radically beyond their own capacity to undertake and accomplish they needed to wait for the power to undertake it....and you will be my witnesses, not a suggestion for the few called to be a preacher, but a cause and effect, a direct response to what happens when a heart is filled with the HS, you can t help but talk, share, live and love like Jesus! THE PATTERN there was a pattern to the process of preaching the gospel Start at home (Jerusalem) then go into the Judea and Samaria then and uttermost parts of the world. We will see this pattern unfold from Jerusalem, the center of it all then, to the outer edges of the modern world today 2017 Last week on the day of Pentecost the disciples waited together in unity, 120 gathering in agreement and praying, waiting on Jesus... then were filled with the power of the HS, they spoke praises to God in languages that were understood by the crowds around them. The first act of obedience to the filling of the HS was praise to God, and that spoke loudly to the hearts of the Jewish onlookers. And spoke loudly to the dismay of many onlookers as well. Isn t that the way, when you have a mountain top experience that is just too amazing to explain, there is always that cynic that wants to cut down the works of God, discredit the wonderful with ridiculous explanation that often makes no sense?

4 2:12 And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, What does this mean? 13 But others mocking said, They are filled with new wine The First Sermon on Christ Crucified and Resurrected But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. Before we get into the MESSAGE we want to reflect on the MESSENGER. Peter, once afraid of a servant girl 50 days before this account when he denied HIs friend and Teacher Jesus after the rooster crowed. Peter, who lashed out in defiance of God s will and lopped off an ear, Malchus. Peter who Jesus said get the behind me satan when he said Jesus shouldn't go to the cross This Peter, who cowered before a servant girl was now standing up before a multitude in the city where Jesus was crucified and demands their attention.there is something markedly and remarkably different about Peter... & Its the power! This is so encouraging to all of us who want to be, and do, so much for Jesus,but keep finding ourselves failing miserably. It was always in the heart of Peter to be such a witness for Jesus. Peter had painfully discovered the words of Jesus to be true when Jesus declared the spirit is indeed willing, but the flesh is weak. The thing PEter had always wanted to be and do for Jesus in his own power, was accomplished because at the beginning of Acts 2 Jesus had immersed Peter in the person and power of the Holy Spirit. HE addresses the mockers first quoting Joel... Quotes Joel, 1st time we see Peter actually quote scripture is here, right after he has the HS breathed upon him and the HS filling him with power he preaches form the scriptures, shares the word of God. A desire for Gods word is one of the marks of being HS filled! Peter appeals to the minds of the Jewish onlookers and nay sayers & common sense! 15 For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. Think about it Skippy, there is no way 120 devout Jewish men here in Jerusalem for Pentecost are drunk at 9am, c mon man!) 16 But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: This is a fulfillment of the holy scriptures we ve been studying fellas, c'mon, wake up, listen and believe..

5 17 And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh... and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; 18 even on my male servants and female servants (revolutionary in this culture, that God would pour Himself out on slaves, and woman, Jesus the greatest liberator of slavery and woman and injustice of ALL time!) in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. X 19 And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; 20 the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day. Peter knows his audience as we ought to also when we share the gospel. We have to be able to reach into the culture of the people we are speaking with, whether it s in the gym, on the construction site, in the dentist's office, at the dinner table, with the beggar or the doctor, the lawyer or the laborer. Like paul We reach into the heart of who they are, they who? Whoever God puts in front of you. If they are breathing there is a good chance God wants to use you to share the message of HOPE, the GOSPEL message, with them! Paul...In Greece he shared Jesus through the lens of the local culture by using philosophy, always turning their cultural eyes to Jesus of course. 1 Corinth 9:19 I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. 20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. 21 To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. 23 I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings. I think sometimes the very way we can reach into the culture of our community is through humility, by listening before we speak, learning about what is important and of value in their lives, so we can compassionately and contextually speak into their lives. Most importantly we can ask to be filled with the power of the HS and respond to His leading!

6 Here in Jerusalem with a mass of learned Jews, Peter used reason and the scriptures which they all knew so well. Do you really think they are drunk at 9am before the morning prayers are finished? Haven t you read the scriptures that foretold of this very event happening hundreds of years ago? Peter appeals to their minds first but uses the scriptures as a strong back for support! Joel 2:32 21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. One of the most beautiful verses in the Bible, paralleled in NT Romans 10:13 Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved Loaded with theology about God alone choosing man, or man having a choice in the matter, save that for another day, but suffice it to say, that man could never even have the inclination to want to choose God without the HS prompting our hearts! Yet, John 3:16 says that whosoever believes in him Its a mystery the best of theologians cannot reconcile...but God sure and easily can! A man once looking at a trapezoid, never could be a circle. Turned it 90 degrees to reveal it was in fact a circle form above. 3 dimensional object was a dixie cup. God can see through 22 Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested (made real) to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know 23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. 24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. 22 Men of Israel, hear these words, there is a clear and exact reason Peter implores this crowd to hear his words before he speaks them. There is so much clamoring for our attention in our minds, in the world, busyness (Being Under Satans Yoke?) Peter, had something important to share, something noteworthy, remember this is the first sermon preached after the HS was power was poured out into the disciples. First Mention Principle...Under the First Mention principle, the idea is that God indicates the truth that stands in His mind that will not change later on. This means that the initial discussion of any subject in the Bible would have unusual significance by this standard, as Benjamin Willis Newton. Notice Peter didn t get into the eschatological study of Joel 2, and speak about the end times meanings behind it, he went for gold...

7 Peter gets to what we call the meat of the message, the heart of the matter, the crux of the conversation... hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, it's ALL about Jesus of Nazareth! Peter goes on to share in a few verses Jesus life, death, and resurrection. For in the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, lies the Gospel message of hope for a hopeless people. And Romans 1: 14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Oh you might say, this person, this crew, is too tough for the gospel, too intellectual, too proper, too poor.did ya read vs 14...to barbarians, wise, fools, greeks and also to the Jews! It's the gospel message that has salvation written into every fiber of its being. It s the HS power that enables you and I to share this message of Christ crucified, message of hope, its the HS power that will convict and cut a heart to the core in order that they might receive and believe! Peter goes on to argue and point out in Psalm 16, under the power and direction of the HS, that these prophetic words were fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth. Here is an accurate description and interpretation of the scripture, for the best commentary on the Bible is? 25 For David says concerning him, I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; 26 therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope. 27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption. 28 You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence. 29 Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, 31 he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are

8 witnesses. 33 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. 34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, 35 until I make your enemies your footstool. 36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified. THey hoped in David, Mosed, Elijah, Jewish system of law, ceremony and sacrifice...what did they hope for? Hope is so similar to faith in that it is a desire for something not yet attained or visible. In the religious system, in the hope of their patriarchs these Jewish people had a sense of hope to have a hole filled and a heart changed 37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, Brothers, what shall we do? 38 And Peter said to them, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself. Vs 37...the two lines we want to hear when we preach, share, and invest in ppl, share the gospel, there are the things we want to see happen, people hearts to be pierced, and for them to ask the question, what must I do to be saved? I am going to tell you how these two responses happen.simply by the power and selection, direction, movement of the HS. End of story. Not by your persuasion, lyrical genius, oratorical mastery, intellectual, heartfelt appeal, or your deep emotional connection.its only by the revelation of the HS that Jesus lived, died, and rose again in order to bring us back into right relationship with God. THey were cut to the heart What shall we do...repent and Be baptised, who every one of you, for the forgiveness of your sins. We love to preach a gospel that is filled with grace,, full of hope, embedded in companionship and compassion, trust and comfort, healing blessing and refuge and power, but without repentance, its nothing.

9 A promise them, their kids, for us afar off, our kids...everyone who calls on the name of the Lord. A transformed life, filled with God s Spirit