Week 05 - The Book of Acts - "Let This Be Known To You" | Pastor Harley Doneburg | Sunday, February 23rd, 2025

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So, Lord, we give you this morning. Pray that,

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God, that you would speak to our hearts. Lord,

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we want to hear your voice today, Lord. We want

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you to stir our heart, Lord. We want to be sensitive

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to what you're telling us, Lord. I know you've

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got so much to speak to us personally. God, encouragement

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and challenge. And we're just so thankful you're

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so willing to do that. You're willing to speak

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our language and to tell us what we need to hear,

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Lord. So I pray we'd hear that this morning,

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Jesus. In your name. So the book of Acts is exciting.

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God has not changed. 2 ,000 years and running.

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God's spirit of God working with the word of

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God and the people of God, touching lost and

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broken people, a lost and dying world. God using

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his Holy Spirit and his word in his church, in

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his people. That's what God does. You and I.

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If you're a believer here today, that's the promise

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we hold on to, that the book of Acts is continuing

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to today. God's Holy Spirit is in you, working

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in your life. He's working on your life. He's

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working through your life. That's amazing. So

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amazing that God loves broken people, right?

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Think about that. Remember the day you came to

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the Lord, how broken you were. How lost you are.

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How like, oh my gosh, there's a God in heaven

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who loves me. How can anyone know everything

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about me and still love me? That's amazing. That's

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kind of the cry of the woman at the well when

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she went back to her hometown in Samaria and

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says, come and see a man who told me everything

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about me, knows everything about me. The understanding

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was, and this guy still loves me. It's Messiah.

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I found Messiah. There's nothing hidden from

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him. He loves broken people. And you know what?

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He not only loves broken people, he uses broken

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people. Right? He uses you. He wants to use your

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life. He doesn't have another option but to use

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broken people. He uses us who are broken. He

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touches by his Holy Spirit. And works in our

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life. It's amazing. And you see Peter standing

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up here. Amazing. If you remember the life of

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Peter. How he was discouraged. After the crucifixion.

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He was not only discouraged at what happened

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to Jesus. He was dead. He was discouraged by

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his attitude. By what his actions, what he did.

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Denied the Lord. Jesus is arrested. Hey, do you

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know him? No. Three times. Question. No, I don't

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know him. I don't know him. He swears, makes

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an oath. I don't know the guy. Right? So he's

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discouraged by that. Discouraged that Jesus is

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arrested and crucified. Then Jesus is resurrected.

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The victory of Calvary. Which is the message.

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It's the theme of the book of Acts. It's the

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theme of the epistles. As you go through, it's

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the resurrection. Even after that, Peter is discouraged.

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And he's so messed up about who he had been.

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About his own life. The turns in his own life.

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Because he didn't see that coming. When Jesus

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said, man, Peter, you're going to deny me. He

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said, no way. Even these guys might, Lord, I

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won't. He didn't see it in his heart. He didn't

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see it in his life, in himself. And sometimes

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that shocks us. It can shock us who we still

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are, right? We have great devotions in the morning.

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We're driving to work or whatever. This is great.

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Car pulls out in front of you. What the heck?

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And you realize that you didn't know that was

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still inside of you. You didn't know some of

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the stuff is still in there until it. Pops out

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at just the right moment. Like, whoa, that whole

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guy needs to be crucified. And Peter didn't understand

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it. But now on the other side of the resurrection

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and Pentecost, he stands up with boldness. He's

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going to give chapter and verse about what's

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going on. Peter has a working knowledge of the

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word of God. Amazing. A couple of Wednesdays

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ago, Once a month, we're doing kind of a testimony

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night for men's study. And Brandon, who's not

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here, lots of people are battling. There's a

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lot going around here. I'm praying everyone's

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safe. There's flus and stomach bugs and strep

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throat. You're all right. Everyone here's safe.

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Don't be nervous. But Brandon's not here. Could

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be one of those things grabbed him. But he shared

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his testimony a couple weeks ago. And it was

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great. He was real and open, honest. Just what

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he was going through in his life right now. What

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God was doing. Some of that was discouragement

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or whatever. Struggles that we all have. When

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he got done, it was very good. I just had this

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sense. Part of the trouble, and we're going to

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see the early church doesn't do this. It's not

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week to week. For us, sometimes it's week to

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week. The early church, we're going to see they

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gather daily, not because they're super saints.

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Yeah, we're more spiritual. We need to get to

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men's study this week. No, but they needed it.

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They needed each other. They needed the word

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of God. They needed fellowship. They needed to

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be in prayer. That was the action of the early

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church, not because they're super saints, because

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they saw who they really were. And I think Peter

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saw who he really was and said, I can't go far

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from this place. I need to stay close to you,

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Lord. I need to be in the word of God. I need

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to be around other saints. I need to be around

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people. And I thought, you know, sometimes we

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can come here week to week and we look at other

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people. And other families, and you've had a

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rough week, a rough month, a rough go, struggles.

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Some of your flesh may be reared up, something

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in your life that you've been struggling with

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maybe, and you look around and you think, man,

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that family's got it all together. Look at the

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smiles on their face. Look at their kids. And

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we never get past this. This surfacy fellowship

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that we have that's, you know, how was it? You

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know, how was your week? What's going on? And

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we never get into, but these guys, you know how

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it is when you live with someone, when you're

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around each other every day, it more than just

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seeing someone for an hour at church or literally,

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you know, you're together for 20 minutes talking.

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When you work with someone, you get a little

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closer. You know what they like. You know their

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stops in the morning, where they stop for gas.

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Well, that's the idea of fellowship and being

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around each other. We get to know each other.

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The walls come down, and we can talk and be real.

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And it's what we need. It's what the early church

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needed, and it's what the church needs. And Peter

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stands up. There's a work going on in Peter's

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life. Peter remembered probably some of what

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Jesus told him. You know, follow me and I'll

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make you a fisher of men. Right? That promise

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that God makes Peter. Peter, listen, you follow

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me and I'm going to do this work in your life.

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And then Jesus meets Peter fishing. Again, he

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tells Peter, listen. He asks him the question,

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do you love me? I like you, Lord. Well. Feed

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my lambs. And then he says, feed my sheep, right?

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This is what I have for your life. My plan hasn't

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changed for your life, Peter. That's something

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we need to hold on to because sometimes we mess

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up like Peter and we lose sight of the fact that

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God still loves you. You're broken. He saw it

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coming like he did Peter and he still wants to

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use your life. His plan is to set your feet back

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up on that rock and have you moving forward.

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That's the whole reason. of the cross of Calvary.

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It was for past sins, present sins, and future

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sins. God knows your mistakes. Yeah, you're still

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going to make some mistakes. And the resurrection,

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the power, this power. And Peter's going to talk

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about it here. It's going to be part of the first

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church message, the resurrection. But Philippians

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chapter 1. Says this, verse 6. Paul says, being

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confident. This is something you can be confident

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in. That he who has begun a good work in you

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will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.

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That work that Jesus started in your life, the

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day you were saved, the day you gave your heart

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to the Lord. He says, you know what? Paul says

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to the church in Philippi, hey, guys, sit back,

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rest in this fact that God's still working in

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your life. Why? Maybe some people were discouraged.

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They're sitting back like Peter, like, you know

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what? I give up. I'm not perfect like the rest

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of the church, those people who sit over there

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with that big family or whatever. I just, I don't

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understand what's going on. And Paul says this,

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listen, be confident in this very thing. He who

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has begun a good work in you will complete it.

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He's working in your life. He's completing a

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work. He's changing who you are. He's conforming

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us into his image. He's making us more like him.

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It's his work, right? That's why we came to Calvary

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because we saw what we were doing with our lives.

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We were messing it up. Anything and everything.

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that I could do wrong, that's what I was doing.

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Some of the stuff I was doing, I didn't even

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realize, like, wow, I guess I never knew about

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that. I guess I'll try that too, right? It's

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just my life was a mess. And we can trust the

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process that God knows what he's doing. And where

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does he start here? All these people, these pilgrims

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come to... Jerusalem to worship at Pentecost.

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They're worshiping there, and there's all these

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different responses. Some were amazed and confused

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and perplexed, and then there's mockers, people

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looking at what's happening. In the people of

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God, by the Spirit of God, there's all kinds

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of responses. Some people are amazed. Some people

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mock. Some people are want to know more. And

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they ask that question, what could this mean?

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Verse 12, what does this mean? And their question

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is going to change as we get through this chapter.

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It goes from, what does this mean? 3 ,000 of

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them say, what should we do? What do we do? But

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Peter, in this process from What does this mean?

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So what do we do? Peter gives a little Bible

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study. He explains what's happening here. And

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I want to take note in verse 14, it says, but

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Peter standing up with the 11 raised his voice

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and said to them, men of Judea and all who dwell

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in Jerusalem, let this be known to you. And heed

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my words. Listen to what I'm saying. I think,

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number one, Peter knows his audience. And who's

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his audience? I think you might be religious

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people who are celebrating in Jerusalem at one

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of the feasts that's required. And these guys

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are coming from all over. And they're not all

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saved. They're not, what's that mean to us today?

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It means that sometimes people sitting in church,

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they come to church and it doesn't mean you're

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saved. Doesn't mean you're not saved, obviously.

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Peter also is a listener, right? Peter's a lot

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different than who he used to be. Peter, who

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rebukes Jesus for saying that, He's going to

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die. Peter says, no, be that far from you, Lord.

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He doesn't know what's in his heart. He doesn't

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know he's going to deny the Lord. He doesn't.

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He cuts off Malchus's ear. Right? And now Peter's

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a little different. You know, I've heard a pastor

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say years ago, I think it was Gail Irwin. You

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probably don't know him, but he's a guy. You

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know, 30 years ago when I got saved, that I listened

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to, it was on the radio for a little while. And

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he would say, it's ready, fire, aim, Peter. You

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know, he looks and shoots and then tries to aim.

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All right, where did I just shoot? You know,

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Peter's the guy that cuts off Malchus's ear in

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the garden. Right? And Jesus heals it. Peter's

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different. He's a different guy. Now, he cuts

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off Malchus' ear. At the end of this chapter,

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it's going to say that these people who hear

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his preaching are cut to the heart. The different

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cutting going on now. Peter's using the word

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of God instead of a sword. And he's doing an

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eternal work in people through God's Holy Spirit.

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And he's compelled to give an answer. He's a

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listener. He listens to the people. He listens

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to the people. And I think that's valuable. I

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think it's something that you should consider

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and I should consider. And I've probably said

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it before. But I'm sometimes a better talker

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than listener. But Peter listens to what these

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guys have to say. And he processes it. And he

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has an answer for them. Peter probably thinking

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about this as he writes in 1 Peter 3 .15. He's

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probably looking back, but it says this in 1

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Peter 3 .15. Peter says, but sanctify the Lord

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God in your hearts and always be ready to give

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a defense to everyone who asks you. A reason

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for the hope that's in you with meekness and

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fear, with reverence and respect. You should

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be ready. Peter says, listen, guys, I want to

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tell you, he wants to remind the church, be ready

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to give people an answer. But to give an answer,

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you need to listen to the question. What are

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people asking? Sometimes you got to read between

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the lines. Sometimes you got to know what people

00:16:47.600 --> 00:16:52.899
are saying. Right? Why they say certain things

00:16:52.899 --> 00:16:56.820
or behave a certain way. You got to think, I

00:16:56.820 --> 00:16:58.620
wonder why they're saying it that way. I wonder

00:16:58.620 --> 00:17:01.259
why they're treating me this way. I wonder what

00:17:01.259 --> 00:17:05.940
their question is. And Peter's ready to give

00:17:05.940 --> 00:17:08.420
an answer to these guys. He wants to tell them

00:17:08.420 --> 00:17:16.539
what's going on. And he goes on to say it. He

00:17:16.539 --> 00:17:18.839
says, these are not drunk, as you suppose, verse

00:17:18.839 --> 00:17:21.440
15, since it's only the third hour of the day.

00:17:22.880 --> 00:17:26.420
But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel.

00:17:26.519 --> 00:17:31.000
And he goes back to Joel chapter 2. He says,

00:17:31.099 --> 00:17:34.980
and it shall come to pass in the last days, says

00:17:34.980 --> 00:17:38.480
God, that I will pour out my spirit on all flesh.

00:17:39.700 --> 00:17:42.339
And your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your

00:17:42.339 --> 00:17:45.829
young men. shall see visions and your old men

00:17:45.829 --> 00:17:49.970
shall dream dreams. I think I'm in the dreaming

00:17:49.970 --> 00:17:56.769
dreams category. And I'm my men's servants and

00:17:56.769 --> 00:17:59.150
I'm my maid's servants. He says this, I'll pour

00:17:59.150 --> 00:18:03.569
out my spirit in those days and they'll prophesy.

00:18:06.789 --> 00:18:12.130
Prophecy, visions, dreams, promises. Of God's

00:18:12.130 --> 00:18:16.369
Holy Spirit being poured out. Explaining the

00:18:16.369 --> 00:18:18.950
word of God. I think that's one of the primary

00:18:18.950 --> 00:18:23.029
purposes God's spirit is moving. To tell people

00:18:23.029 --> 00:18:29.150
about Jesus. To talk to them. And you'll have

00:18:29.150 --> 00:18:33.009
vision and dreams. Your life will have purpose.

00:18:33.490 --> 00:18:37.529
The promise for your children. You ever worry

00:18:37.529 --> 00:18:40.400
about your kids? God's Holy Spirit, he says,

00:18:40.420 --> 00:18:43.339
I'm going to pour out my spirit. I'm going to

00:18:43.339 --> 00:18:47.200
touch lives through my Holy Spirit. I want to

00:18:47.200 --> 00:18:53.680
work through my spirit. And so Peter's explaining

00:18:53.680 --> 00:18:59.779
this. And that promise, what's going on? Peter

00:18:59.779 --> 00:19:04.819
says, he pushes it all the way to the tribulation,

00:19:04.900 --> 00:19:09.529
which is what Joel does. If you read Joel. He

00:19:09.529 --> 00:19:11.710
says, I'll show wonders in heaven above and signs

00:19:11.710 --> 00:19:14.250
in earth beneath, blood, fire, vapor of smoke.

00:19:14.390 --> 00:19:17.390
The sun shall be turned into darkness and the

00:19:17.390 --> 00:19:22.250
moon into blood before the coming of the great

00:19:22.250 --> 00:19:24.450
and awesome day of the Lord. He brings us right

00:19:24.450 --> 00:19:28.210
to the second coming of Jesus Christ. And what

00:19:28.210 --> 00:19:31.869
Peter's saying is what Joel was talking about.

00:19:31.910 --> 00:19:34.769
Part of that is God's spirit moving in a new

00:19:34.769 --> 00:19:39.259
way in these last days. that begin at Pentecost.

00:19:40.259 --> 00:19:43.539
And you could do a whole study, go through Matthew,

00:19:43.920 --> 00:19:47.559
Thessalonians, Timothy, and you can look up what

00:19:47.559 --> 00:19:52.480
the last days look like. The apostles asked Jesus,

00:19:52.660 --> 00:19:53.940
you know, what will be the sign of your coming

00:19:53.940 --> 00:19:56.000
in the end of the age? Jesus didn't say, don't

00:19:56.000 --> 00:19:57.900
worry about that. You won't have to worry about

00:19:57.900 --> 00:20:01.559
that. Jesus gave them a specific answer. Here's

00:20:01.559 --> 00:20:05.660
what to look for. You need to know this. That's

00:20:05.660 --> 00:20:09.900
a great question. You need to know this. Because

00:20:09.900 --> 00:20:13.880
the days are looking more and more like the days.

00:20:13.900 --> 00:20:16.559
Jesus could be back at any moment, at any time.

00:20:17.339 --> 00:20:21.180
The church needs to be ready. It's been 2 ,000

00:20:21.180 --> 00:20:25.559
years. And we could spend a long time on that.

00:20:27.980 --> 00:20:35.339
The second coming and those signs. But he goes

00:20:35.339 --> 00:20:38.519
on to say in verse 21, and it shall come to pass

00:20:38.519 --> 00:20:43.559
that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall

00:20:43.559 --> 00:20:47.859
be saved. And isn't that a great promise? For

00:20:47.859 --> 00:20:53.039
anyone, whoever, there's no limit on the whoever.

00:20:54.779 --> 00:20:58.480
There's zero qualifications. Do you have a pulse?

00:20:58.539 --> 00:21:00.799
Are you still breathing? Yes, you qualify. You

00:21:00.799 --> 00:21:05.750
can be saved. If you call on the Lord, you can

00:21:05.750 --> 00:21:09.029
be saved. Peter doesn't even give this huge explanation

00:21:09.029 --> 00:21:14.750
of sin and salvation. Peter says that you just

00:21:14.750 --> 00:21:16.569
call on the name of the Lord, you'll be saved.

00:21:16.690 --> 00:21:23.630
You believe on him. Pretty amazing and pretty

00:21:23.630 --> 00:21:28.250
simple gospel Peter gives here. To that point,

00:21:28.269 --> 00:21:32.460
using Joel. Then he says this. He throws the

00:21:32.460 --> 00:21:35.960
ball in their court. He says, men of Israel,

00:21:36.119 --> 00:21:39.900
hear these words. Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested

00:21:39.900 --> 00:21:42.980
by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs

00:21:42.980 --> 00:21:47.400
which God did through him. In your midst, as

00:21:47.400 --> 00:21:50.200
yourselves also know, him being delivered by

00:21:50.200 --> 00:21:53.519
the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God,

00:21:53.700 --> 00:21:59.240
you have taken and by lawless hands have crucified

00:21:59.240 --> 00:22:04.349
and put to death. When God raised up, having

00:22:04.349 --> 00:22:06.950
loosed the pains of death, it was not possible

00:22:06.950 --> 00:22:20.950
that he should be held by it. He says, these

00:22:20.950 --> 00:22:24.950
are wonders and signs and miracles, which God

00:22:24.950 --> 00:22:28.369
did through him in your midst, as you yourselves

00:22:28.369 --> 00:22:34.420
know. So the proof and evidence, he says, listen,

00:22:34.519 --> 00:22:37.700
you guys saw this stuff. Many of them were there

00:22:37.700 --> 00:22:41.019
as Jesus raised people from the dead, as lepers

00:22:41.019 --> 00:22:46.339
are cleansed and paralyzed people are healed.

00:22:48.319 --> 00:22:51.720
Peter says, you guys know this. You saw it. Many

00:22:51.720 --> 00:22:54.420
of them were there or heard it firsthand. Hey,

00:22:54.480 --> 00:22:57.609
you guys wouldn't believe this. And that's really

00:22:57.609 --> 00:23:01.750
why Nicodemus comes to Jesus at night. In John

00:23:01.750 --> 00:23:04.210
chapter 3, he comes to Jesus and says, hey, we

00:23:04.210 --> 00:23:08.670
know who you are. No one can do what you're doing,

00:23:08.829 --> 00:23:13.509
these signs, except God be with you. Even the

00:23:13.509 --> 00:23:15.809
scribes, the Pharisees, the religious leaders

00:23:15.809 --> 00:23:21.329
couldn't deny the fact that God was moving. in

00:23:21.329 --> 00:23:24.529
Jesus's life in a way that was so dynamic and

00:23:24.529 --> 00:23:27.789
different from anything Israel had seen. Just

00:23:27.789 --> 00:23:31.890
miracle, sign, wonder, so many different things.

00:23:32.029 --> 00:23:34.069
And Peter points that out to these guys. Listen,

00:23:34.210 --> 00:23:38.529
you cannot deny this fact that Jesus of Nazareth,

00:23:38.650 --> 00:23:44.470
who he is and what he did. And so they all had

00:23:44.470 --> 00:23:46.390
to sit back and say, oh yeah, I remember that

00:23:46.390 --> 00:23:58.609
one thing. I remember. What he did. And then

00:23:58.609 --> 00:24:02.490
he says this. Him being delivered by the determined

00:24:02.490 --> 00:24:06.190
purpose and foreknowledge of God. And there's

00:24:06.190 --> 00:24:10.829
perfect tension here in verse 23. Because he

00:24:10.829 --> 00:24:14.309
says, listen, this was God's plan. It was his

00:24:14.309 --> 00:24:17.369
determined purpose. He knew this was going to

00:24:17.369 --> 00:24:20.890
happen. Jesus being crucified did not thwart

00:24:20.890 --> 00:24:25.410
his plan or foil his plan. It was part of his

00:24:25.410 --> 00:24:32.089
plan. This was God's plan. It's called God's

00:24:32.089 --> 00:24:35.490
sovereignty. This was going to happen. But it

00:24:35.490 --> 00:24:41.049
doesn't take away responsibility. Human responsibility.

00:24:43.710 --> 00:24:50.059
God knew it. Verse 23. It was his purpose. But

00:24:50.059 --> 00:24:53.599
then he says this. He says, you have taken and

00:24:53.599 --> 00:24:56.079
by lawless hands have crucified and put to death.

00:24:56.200 --> 00:24:58.880
And a lot of them could say, no, not me. Wasn't

00:24:58.880 --> 00:25:02.940
me. It was Rome or it was the religious leaders.

00:25:05.000 --> 00:25:07.680
They could point and try to defer and deflect

00:25:07.680 --> 00:25:11.700
any blame. And that's what people do when they

00:25:11.700 --> 00:25:14.299
don't want to deal with their sin. They defer.

00:25:14.539 --> 00:25:17.480
They deflect. They don't want to own it. They

00:25:17.480 --> 00:25:20.740
have excuses for it. But we're going to see 3

00:25:20.740 --> 00:25:22.519
,000 of these guys are like, all right, what

00:25:22.519 --> 00:25:25.119
do we do? You're right. I am guilty. I feel guilty.

00:25:25.220 --> 00:25:27.220
I was part of that. I wanted him crucified. And

00:25:27.220 --> 00:25:31.500
the reality is we're all guilty. You're guilty.

00:25:31.599 --> 00:25:34.259
I'm guilty. It was for our sin that he died.

00:25:35.599 --> 00:25:41.440
We're guilty. Part of that. The weight and the

00:25:41.440 --> 00:25:50.799
guilt of sin is on us. We should feel that. And

00:25:50.799 --> 00:25:56.640
then he says this, when God raised up, having

00:25:56.640 --> 00:25:59.059
loosed the pains of death because it was not

00:25:59.059 --> 00:26:02.779
possible that he should be held by it. Listen,

00:26:02.960 --> 00:26:06.359
this wasn't just a doctrine for these guys. And

00:26:06.359 --> 00:26:08.559
it is a doctrine, the resurrection. It's the

00:26:08.559 --> 00:26:15.779
power. This was life to these guys. This was

00:26:15.779 --> 00:26:20.400
life for Peter. Peter was so down and so out

00:26:20.400 --> 00:26:24.759
after what he had done. Jesus ministers to him

00:26:24.759 --> 00:26:30.960
for 40 days in the apostles to show himself alive.

00:26:32.599 --> 00:26:36.480
I want to, hey, Peter, I'm alive, man. It's okay.

00:26:37.579 --> 00:26:42.359
I'm alive. And guess what? You are too. You're

00:26:42.359 --> 00:26:47.720
alive because I'm alive. That's amazing. These

00:26:47.720 --> 00:26:50.140
Peter is telling them about the resurrection,

00:26:50.279 --> 00:26:52.720
not because it's doctrine and it is, and it's

00:26:52.720 --> 00:26:55.619
important, but because there's power behind it.

00:26:56.460 --> 00:26:59.180
Because now Peter, because of the resurrection,

00:26:59.279 --> 00:27:02.220
the death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ,

00:27:02.299 --> 00:27:10.220
Peter now has this hope. Not that. His hope isn't

00:27:10.220 --> 00:27:14.960
that he's gonna be sinless and never make mistakes.

00:27:15.160 --> 00:27:18.059
His hope is in the fact that Jesus died for all

00:27:18.059 --> 00:27:22.039
of his sins and he was raised, the grave couldn't

00:27:22.039 --> 00:27:27.700
hold him. There's power in the resurrection.

00:27:28.240 --> 00:27:33.539
There's life there for the church. Hope for you

00:27:33.539 --> 00:27:37.559
and I. Because Jesus went just for Peter's sins

00:27:37.559 --> 00:27:40.480
or not just, for my sins, but he went there for

00:27:40.480 --> 00:27:44.660
all of our sins. Jesus went to Calvary and he

00:27:44.660 --> 00:27:47.400
bore all of our sins and that couldn't hold him

00:27:47.400 --> 00:27:56.740
there. All of our sins. Amazing. And the focus

00:27:56.740 --> 00:28:01.380
of the resurrection is a theme throughout the

00:28:01.380 --> 00:28:05.720
book of Acts. It's the purpose of Peter's preaching.

00:28:06.460 --> 00:28:09.019
We'll see that as we get into chapter 3, chapter

00:28:09.019 --> 00:28:11.779
4. It's the purpose of Paul's preaching, the

00:28:11.779 --> 00:28:25.559
resurrection. It's life and acceptance. You know,

00:28:25.599 --> 00:28:33.230
sometimes it feels almost blasphemous. To tell

00:28:33.230 --> 00:28:35.190
someone, hey, your sins are forgiven. When you

00:28:35.190 --> 00:28:38.109
really think about it, hey, if you receive Jesus

00:28:38.109 --> 00:28:42.289
Christ and what he did on the cross, you're 100

00:28:42.289 --> 00:28:47.170
% forgiven. It feels strange to be able to tell

00:28:47.170 --> 00:28:49.250
somebody that, number one, because I didn't do

00:28:49.250 --> 00:28:54.769
anything for it. But number two, that is so big

00:28:54.769 --> 00:28:59.069
that you're forgiven. To be able to say, guess

00:28:59.069 --> 00:29:04.380
what? You're forgiven. It feels, turn to John

00:29:04.380 --> 00:29:07.180
chapter 20, just for a second. Let's look at

00:29:07.180 --> 00:29:11.720
this because the disciples go from sadness to

00:29:11.720 --> 00:29:18.079
gladness because of the resurrection. John chapter

00:29:18.079 --> 00:29:44.079
20. John chapter 20, verse 19 says this. John

00:29:44.079 --> 00:29:49.500
20, verse 19. Then the same day at evening, being

00:29:49.500 --> 00:29:51.920
the first day of the week, when the doors were

00:29:51.920 --> 00:29:54.460
shut, the disciples were assembled for fear of

00:29:54.460 --> 00:29:57.740
the Jews. And Jesus came and stood in the midst

00:29:57.740 --> 00:30:01.519
and said to them, peace be with you. And when

00:30:01.519 --> 00:30:05.279
he said this, he showed them his hands and his

00:30:05.279 --> 00:30:08.900
side. And then the disciples were glad when they

00:30:08.900 --> 00:30:12.519
saw it. Previously, they were sad. Previously,

00:30:12.539 --> 00:30:18.339
they were scattered, scared, spread. Smite the

00:30:18.339 --> 00:30:20.380
shepherd, the sheep scatter. And that's what

00:30:20.380 --> 00:30:22.980
was taking place with these disciples. And now

00:30:22.980 --> 00:30:27.640
they see his wounds, his scars, and they're glad.

00:30:29.019 --> 00:30:32.480
Not because he suffered it, but because of the

00:30:32.480 --> 00:30:34.339
resurrection and the power of the resurrection.

00:30:39.720 --> 00:30:41.920
So Jesus said to them, peace be to you. As the

00:30:41.920 --> 00:30:44.920
Father has sent me, I'm sending you. And when

00:30:44.920 --> 00:30:47.079
he had said this, he breathed on them and said

00:30:47.079 --> 00:30:49.559
to them, receive the Holy Spirit. That's the

00:30:49.559 --> 00:30:54.960
seal of the Spirit. If you forgive the sins of

00:30:54.960 --> 00:30:57.799
any, they're forgiven them. Isn't that amazing?

00:30:59.059 --> 00:31:02.039
I forgive you. Listen, I don't forgive you. Jesus

00:31:02.039 --> 00:31:06.819
forgives you. That's amazing. If you retain the

00:31:06.819 --> 00:31:08.700
sins of any, they're retained. What's that mean?

00:31:08.740 --> 00:31:12.069
Listen. If you don't receive Jesus Christ, you

00:31:12.069 --> 00:31:15.190
have to pay your own penalty for your sins. If

00:31:15.190 --> 00:31:16.690
you don't receive Jesus Christ, you're going

00:31:16.690 --> 00:31:19.809
to stand before the Lord someday and try to give

00:31:19.809 --> 00:31:24.130
some sort of an excuse. Like why you're not deserving

00:31:24.130 --> 00:31:30.849
of punishment. And Thomas called the twin. One

00:31:30.849 --> 00:31:33.049
of the 12 was not with them when Jesus came.

00:31:33.190 --> 00:31:34.910
And the other disciples therefore said to him,

00:31:35.009 --> 00:31:37.630
we've seen the Lord. So he said to them, unless

00:31:37.630 --> 00:31:40.420
I see his hands. And the print of the nails and

00:31:40.420 --> 00:31:42.259
put my finger in the print of the nails and put

00:31:42.259 --> 00:31:46.839
my hand into his side. I will not believe. And

00:31:46.839 --> 00:31:49.960
after eight days, his disciples were again inside

00:31:49.960 --> 00:31:53.440
and Thomas with them. And Jesus came and the

00:31:53.440 --> 00:31:56.160
doors being shut and stood in the midst and said,

00:31:56.220 --> 00:32:00.000
peace be to you. And he said to Thomas, oh, by

00:32:00.000 --> 00:32:03.240
the way, reach your finger here and look at my

00:32:03.240 --> 00:32:05.480
hands and reach your hand here and put it into

00:32:05.480 --> 00:32:08.250
my side. And don't be unbelieving, but believe.

00:32:08.349 --> 00:32:12.769
Here, look at my scars. I'm alive. And Thomas

00:32:12.769 --> 00:32:15.509
answered and said, my Lord and my God. And Jesus

00:32:15.509 --> 00:32:18.029
said to Thomas, because you have seen me and

00:32:18.029 --> 00:32:20.069
you've believed, blessed are those who have not

00:32:20.069 --> 00:32:23.690
seen yet have believed. Amazing. The resurrection.

00:32:25.710 --> 00:32:28.490
It's the hope. It was the hope the church had.

00:32:30.250 --> 00:32:33.630
And so Peter goes on here. This is Psalm 16.

00:32:33.750 --> 00:32:37.640
He explains Psalm 16, what it meant. Verse 25,

00:32:37.960 --> 00:32:44.259
back in Acts chapter 2. For David says concerning

00:32:44.259 --> 00:32:48.819
him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face.

00:32:49.420 --> 00:32:52.259
For he is at my right hand that I may not be

00:32:52.259 --> 00:32:55.500
shaken. Therefore, my heart rejoiced and my tongue

00:32:55.500 --> 00:32:59.599
was glad. Moreover, my flesh will rest in hope.

00:32:59.880 --> 00:33:02.960
For you will not leave my soul in Hades, nor

00:33:02.960 --> 00:33:05.759
will you allow your Holy One to see corruption.

00:33:06.879 --> 00:33:10.140
You've made known to me the ways of life. You

00:33:10.140 --> 00:33:13.400
will make me full of joy in your presence. Peter

00:33:13.400 --> 00:33:17.839
says that Psalm 16, this is the explanation of

00:33:17.839 --> 00:33:20.579
it. And so verse 29 says, men and brethren, let

00:33:20.579 --> 00:33:22.700
me speak freely to you of the patriarch David,

00:33:22.839 --> 00:33:25.079
that he is both dead and buried and his tomb

00:33:25.079 --> 00:33:28.599
is with us to this day. Therefore being a prophet

00:33:28.599 --> 00:33:31.480
and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to

00:33:31.480 --> 00:33:34.740
him of the fruit of his body, according to the

00:33:34.740 --> 00:33:38.779
flesh. he would raise up the Christ to sit on

00:33:38.779 --> 00:33:41.960
his throne. And he foreseeing this spoke concerning

00:33:41.960 --> 00:33:45.859
the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was

00:33:45.859 --> 00:33:49.140
not left in Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption.

00:33:50.119 --> 00:33:54.460
This Jesus, God has raised up, which we are all

00:33:54.460 --> 00:33:57.539
witnesses. Therefore being exalted to the right

00:33:57.539 --> 00:33:59.700
hand of God and having received from the father,

00:33:59.759 --> 00:34:02.740
the promise of the Holy Spirit, he poured out

00:34:02.740 --> 00:34:06.480
this, which you see. And here, which you now

00:34:06.480 --> 00:34:10.900
see in here. And David didn't ascend into heavens,

00:34:11.019 --> 00:34:18.079
but he says himself, the Lord said to my Lord,

00:34:18.159 --> 00:34:20.059
sit on my right hand till I make your enemies

00:34:20.059 --> 00:34:24.239
your footstool. So that's, I think, Psalm 110.

00:34:24.920 --> 00:34:27.460
So Peter's preaching this message, giving an

00:34:27.460 --> 00:34:30.900
explanation of everything that's happened. And

00:34:30.900 --> 00:34:33.000
then he says, therefore, let all the house of

00:34:33.000 --> 00:34:37.230
Israel know assuredly. That God has made Jesus,

00:34:37.349 --> 00:34:40.150
whom you crucified, he puts the onus on them

00:34:40.150 --> 00:34:44.809
again. He's made him both Lord and Christ, Messiah

00:34:44.809 --> 00:34:49.869
and Master. That's very important. Because when

00:34:49.869 --> 00:34:52.590
you become a Christian, it's important to know

00:34:52.590 --> 00:34:56.190
that he's not just your Messiah. He is. He's

00:34:56.190 --> 00:35:00.670
your Savior, but he's also your Lord. You need

00:35:00.670 --> 00:35:05.090
a Lord. You now. Not only have a Savior, but

00:35:05.090 --> 00:35:07.269
he's your Lord, and he's the best master you'll

00:35:07.269 --> 00:35:13.929
ever have. He cares for you. He loves you. He's

00:35:13.929 --> 00:35:16.769
got great plans for your life, and life isn't

00:35:16.769 --> 00:35:19.329
always easy. We're not exempt from trouble, but

00:35:19.329 --> 00:35:23.369
he's going to walk through it with us. But don't

00:35:23.369 --> 00:35:26.969
say you need a Savior, but I don't need a Lord.

00:35:27.070 --> 00:35:29.710
I got my life covered. I'll call you if I need

00:35:29.710 --> 00:35:33.079
you. No, he's the Lord of your life. He wants

00:35:33.079 --> 00:35:35.300
to direct your life. He's the master of your

00:35:35.300 --> 00:35:38.980
life because he's also the master of your destiny.

00:35:42.840 --> 00:35:48.500
And it says this, when they heard this, they

00:35:48.500 --> 00:35:51.980
were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the

00:35:51.980 --> 00:35:55.139
rest of the apostles, men and brethren, what

00:35:55.139 --> 00:35:58.059
shall we do? Their question changed. What do

00:35:58.059 --> 00:36:04.030
we do? What do we do? I get it. I believe it.

00:36:04.130 --> 00:36:08.750
They're saying, now what? Now what do we do?

00:36:13.570 --> 00:36:16.670
Peter says, repent and let every one of you be

00:36:16.670 --> 00:36:20.269
baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the

00:36:20.269 --> 00:36:24.090
remission of sins, that you shall receive the

00:36:24.090 --> 00:36:28.949
gift of the Holy Spirit for the promises to you.

00:36:29.690 --> 00:36:31.969
and your children, and to all that are far off,

00:36:32.110 --> 00:36:36.329
as many as the Lord our God will call. He says,

00:36:36.469 --> 00:36:41.829
repent. That's a change of mind, a change of

00:36:41.829 --> 00:36:44.809
direction, a change of heart. It's agreeing with

00:36:44.809 --> 00:36:50.010
someone else that I agree with the message. I

00:36:50.010 --> 00:36:52.590
agree that I'm a sinner and I need a savior.

00:36:53.190 --> 00:36:56.130
Peter says, repent. You need to change. That's

00:36:56.130 --> 00:37:01.199
the attitude you need to have. Because what we

00:37:01.199 --> 00:37:07.139
believe determines our steps. Our belief system

00:37:07.139 --> 00:37:11.280
determines our behavior many times. That's what

00:37:11.280 --> 00:37:15.139
the devil tried to convince Eve in the garden.

00:37:15.199 --> 00:37:18.780
It goes all the way back to the garden. And he

00:37:18.780 --> 00:37:24.980
questions God, in essence. As the devil asks

00:37:24.980 --> 00:37:29.079
Eve, you know. Jesus questions the word and what

00:37:29.079 --> 00:37:34.199
is said and what God said. As he points out the

00:37:34.199 --> 00:37:39.699
tree in the midst of the garden. As God said,

00:37:39.920 --> 00:37:44.159
you shall not eat all the trees in the garden.

00:37:44.360 --> 00:37:47.119
And he says, you know, you're right. God said

00:37:47.119 --> 00:37:49.619
you can't eat it or touch it. And that's not

00:37:49.619 --> 00:37:52.119
what God said. He didn't say you shouldn't touch

00:37:52.119 --> 00:37:57.059
it. And as they dialogue. her belief system changes.

00:37:58.000 --> 00:38:03.380
She quits believing God and that this tree was

00:38:03.380 --> 00:38:07.039
something that is bad. And her belief system

00:38:07.039 --> 00:38:10.820
changed as the devil presented this tree as something

00:38:10.820 --> 00:38:14.539
good. It was good to the eyes. It was good for

00:38:14.539 --> 00:38:17.760
food, able to make you wise. It looked good,

00:38:17.840 --> 00:38:22.940
tasted good, and it had... Great benefits. He

00:38:22.940 --> 00:38:26.820
throws this stuff out, and it changed her behavior.

00:38:27.380 --> 00:38:31.480
She grabbed the fruit and ate it. I'll eat that.

00:38:31.659 --> 00:38:35.619
Yeah, you're right. Because your belief system

00:38:35.619 --> 00:38:40.760
will change you. You'll act on it. You're not

00:38:40.760 --> 00:38:45.039
going to be perfect. I'm not saying that. The

00:38:45.039 --> 00:38:48.920
direction of your life, where you're pointed.

00:38:51.880 --> 00:38:57.619
It determines what you believe. So he says, repent.

00:38:58.340 --> 00:39:03.500
You need to change the way you think. And then

00:39:03.500 --> 00:39:05.920
he says, and let everyone of you be baptized.

00:39:05.960 --> 00:39:12.559
And baptism is not how you're saved. It's something

00:39:12.559 --> 00:39:15.980
you do after you're saved. It's the evidence.

00:39:16.960 --> 00:39:19.480
It's part of the proof. Like, all right, repent.

00:39:20.170 --> 00:39:25.889
Be baptized. It doesn't mean, all right, you're

00:39:25.889 --> 00:39:30.650
not saved until you're baptized. That's not a

00:39:30.650 --> 00:39:35.929
biblical truth. If you've ever heard that before.

00:39:36.949 --> 00:39:40.349
They do it, they're baptized because they're

00:39:40.349 --> 00:39:43.849
saved. And they want to tell the world. That's

00:39:43.849 --> 00:39:46.190
what people would do when they converted to Judaism.

00:39:46.190 --> 00:39:51.679
Many people would get baptized. It was this outward

00:39:51.679 --> 00:39:58.280
show of an inward work of the heart. And he says,

00:39:58.380 --> 00:40:00.340
listen, this promises to you. You'll receive

00:40:00.340 --> 00:40:02.639
the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promises to

00:40:02.639 --> 00:40:05.519
you and your children and all who are far off.

00:40:05.719 --> 00:40:09.820
This promise holds true. As many as our Lord

00:40:09.820 --> 00:40:13.460
God will call. And with many other words, he

00:40:13.460 --> 00:40:15.840
testified and exhorted them saying, be saved

00:40:15.840 --> 00:40:19.429
from this perverse generation. Then those who

00:40:19.429 --> 00:40:23.809
gladly received his word were baptized. And that

00:40:23.809 --> 00:40:28.050
day about 3 ,000 souls were added to them. 3

00:40:28.050 --> 00:40:30.429
,000 souls. Why? Because the soul is eternal.

00:40:31.889 --> 00:40:38.769
It's heaven or hell for people. It doesn't say

00:40:38.769 --> 00:40:42.170
3 ,000 seats were full. 3 ,000 souls were added.

00:40:42.750 --> 00:40:46.869
And verse 42, and they continued steadfastly.

00:40:47.369 --> 00:40:49.449
In the apostles' doctrine, that's the word of

00:40:49.449 --> 00:40:54.750
God. In fellowship, that's koinonia, this oneness,

00:40:54.809 --> 00:40:58.309
this closeness. The church just leaned on each

00:40:58.309 --> 00:41:02.250
other. They were with each other. In breaking

00:41:02.250 --> 00:41:08.969
of bread, communion, and in prayers. They didn't

00:41:08.969 --> 00:41:10.630
do that because they were super saints. They

00:41:10.630 --> 00:41:13.170
did that because they needed it. They needed

00:41:13.170 --> 00:41:16.190
to know the Bible. They need to know what God

00:41:16.190 --> 00:41:20.570
said. They needed each other, the church, and

00:41:20.570 --> 00:41:26.409
they needed to be praying. And fear came upon

00:41:26.409 --> 00:41:29.050
every soul and many wonders and signs were done

00:41:29.050 --> 00:41:31.469
through the apostles. Now, all that believed

00:41:31.469 --> 00:41:34.070
were together. They had all things in common.

00:41:34.110 --> 00:41:36.389
They sold their possessions and goods and divided

00:41:36.389 --> 00:41:40.750
them. Maybe had more. Some people had less or

00:41:40.750 --> 00:41:42.250
didn't. They said, hey, we can help you out.

00:41:44.079 --> 00:41:47.039
There was compassion. They just saw the needs

00:41:47.039 --> 00:41:50.559
of each other, and they wanted to jump in and

00:41:50.559 --> 00:41:54.239
help. And they continued daily with one accord,

00:41:54.579 --> 00:41:58.760
that's unity, in the temple. They're like, hey,

00:41:58.840 --> 00:42:00.699
dude, you going to the temple again? Let's go.

00:42:00.820 --> 00:42:02.599
Meet me there. Let's go. We're going to have

00:42:02.599 --> 00:42:05.039
a Bible study. See if we can witness to anyone.

00:42:06.920 --> 00:42:09.500
Let's do it. And they continued daily with one

00:42:09.500 --> 00:42:11.739
accord in the temple, breaking bread from house

00:42:11.739 --> 00:42:14.400
to house, and they ate their food with gladness

00:42:14.400 --> 00:42:19.519
and simplicity of heart. Amazing it is to be

00:42:19.519 --> 00:42:23.980
thankful. How horrible it is when you start becoming

00:42:23.980 --> 00:42:27.320
unthankful and you start looking maybe at what

00:42:27.320 --> 00:42:29.679
other people have and how it just, your whole

00:42:29.679 --> 00:42:32.800
mindset. It says that they went from house to

00:42:32.800 --> 00:42:34.920
house. They ate their food with gladness and

00:42:34.920 --> 00:42:38.300
simplicity of heart. Praising God, having favor

00:42:38.300 --> 00:42:41.860
with the people, and the Lord added to the church

00:42:41.860 --> 00:42:45.559
daily those who were being saved. That's God's

00:42:45.559 --> 00:42:48.960
work through his people. What did they see in

00:42:48.960 --> 00:42:53.360
the early church? Worship. They just saw the

00:42:53.360 --> 00:42:56.300
church. They were speaking in other tongues the

00:42:56.300 --> 00:42:59.079
wonderful works of God. It's worship. It's being

00:42:59.079 --> 00:43:03.340
reminded what God did in your life. Tell me your

00:43:03.340 --> 00:43:06.849
greatest times of worship. Probably aren't here.

00:43:06.949 --> 00:43:10.369
Maybe it is. Your greatest worship is probably

00:43:10.369 --> 00:43:12.590
in your car. You're listening to the radio. It

00:43:12.590 --> 00:43:15.309
might be a Bible study or a worship song. And

00:43:15.309 --> 00:43:17.590
God's spirit just begins to minister to your

00:43:17.590 --> 00:43:20.949
heart and remind you of what he did for you.

00:43:21.050 --> 00:43:24.449
And it brings you to tears. And you worship him,

00:43:24.570 --> 00:43:27.849
right? Well, guess what? These people who came

00:43:27.849 --> 00:43:30.630
to Jerusalem, they saw that in the early church.

00:43:31.329 --> 00:43:33.789
People were just worshiping, speaking the wonderful

00:43:33.789 --> 00:43:36.989
works of God. And they saw it in people's lives.

00:43:38.090 --> 00:43:41.130
They saw them worship. That's what people need

00:43:41.130 --> 00:43:43.929
to see in your life. Not just a witness of your

00:43:43.929 --> 00:43:47.230
word or a track, but they're watching your lives.

00:43:47.909 --> 00:43:50.010
They're watching the worship of your lives and

00:43:50.010 --> 00:43:55.409
what you worship. You know, Paul told the Ephesian

00:43:55.409 --> 00:44:00.110
church not to be drunk with wine wherein is excess

00:44:00.110 --> 00:44:07.349
or dissipation or is, you know, waste. He says,

00:44:07.429 --> 00:44:10.250
don't be drunk wine, but be filled with the Spirit.

00:44:10.389 --> 00:44:14.150
And I just started thinking, you know, the reality

00:44:14.150 --> 00:44:17.030
is what he's talking about when he's talking

00:44:17.030 --> 00:44:20.269
about being drunk, it's something that's filling

00:44:20.269 --> 00:44:25.110
your life. It can be anything. It can be alcohol.

00:44:25.250 --> 00:44:31.449
It can be a phone. It can be your job, a career,

00:44:31.710 --> 00:44:35.699
pleasure. Whatever it is, what is filling your

00:44:35.699 --> 00:44:40.380
life that's taking the place of worship and worshiping

00:44:40.380 --> 00:44:45.380
God and getting together, praying? Because that's

00:44:45.380 --> 00:44:47.159
what they were filled with. That's why they did

00:44:47.159 --> 00:44:50.880
it. To get filled with the Holy Spirit. They

00:44:50.880 --> 00:44:54.940
weren't just praying. And you can pray and God

00:44:54.940 --> 00:44:57.460
wants to fill your life. But they were consumed

00:44:57.460 --> 00:45:01.400
with the word of God. Right? They were filled

00:45:01.400 --> 00:45:03.559
with the word of God. They were filled with fellowship.

00:45:04.179 --> 00:45:08.019
They were filled with prayers. Not Facebook,

00:45:08.260 --> 00:45:12.199
right? Not that Facebook's wrong or Instagram

00:45:12.199 --> 00:45:14.519
and all those things, but what are we filled

00:45:14.519 --> 00:45:18.239
with? What's our priority? It's a challenge.

00:45:20.559 --> 00:45:23.420
Because what you're filled with, it comes out

00:45:23.420 --> 00:45:31.739
in your life. Don't be drunk with mine, but be

00:45:31.739 --> 00:45:35.880
ye filled. And it literally means be ye being

00:45:35.880 --> 00:45:40.000
filled continually. Fill your life with the word

00:45:40.000 --> 00:45:45.760
of God, fellowship, prayers. But because you

00:45:45.760 --> 00:45:50.619
need it. So, Lord, we thank you so much for your

00:45:50.619 --> 00:45:54.500
word. The truth of it, God, and the hope we have

00:45:54.500 --> 00:46:00.139
in the resurrection and who you are. The reality,

00:46:00.300 --> 00:46:02.860
Lord, of the work you're doing in our lives and

00:46:02.860 --> 00:46:05.719
the reality, Lord, that you want to use our lives.

00:46:05.880 --> 00:46:07.940
God, I pray we'd rest in that fact, that we'd

00:46:07.940 --> 00:46:11.480
never become so discouraged and past the point

00:46:11.480 --> 00:46:16.840
of thinking or to a point of thinking that you

00:46:16.840 --> 00:46:19.199
don't want to use us or that you don't love us.

00:46:21.960 --> 00:46:25.059
I pray that as we just sing this last song, Lord,

00:46:25.159 --> 00:46:27.800
that you would cause us to ever end a fellowship

00:46:27.800 --> 00:46:31.079
with you, Lord, and really worship and be reminded

00:46:31.079 --> 00:46:34.059
of who you are and who we are to you. Lord, you

00:46:34.059 --> 00:46:38.760
love broken people. You fix broken people. You

00:46:38.760 --> 00:46:42.579
use broken people. So we give you our lives,

00:46:42.719 --> 00:46:46.699
Lord, and God, I pray that it would be our focus

00:46:46.699 --> 00:46:49.099
even this week, Lord, that the direction of our

00:46:49.099 --> 00:46:52.900
life would be being filled by your Holy Spirit.

00:46:53.940 --> 00:46:57.360
It would be our passion and desire and our pursuit.

00:46:58.460 --> 00:47:01.260
We pursue so many different things in this life,

00:47:01.280 --> 00:47:06.320
Lord. I pray that being filled, Lord, would be

00:47:06.320 --> 00:47:07.300
our pursuit this week.