The Word Made Plain

Guest (Male): Welcome to the Word Made Playing with senior pastor Tony Clark of Calvary Chapel Newport News in Virginia. Currently, pastor Tony is teaching a study in the book of Acts. Please open your Bible to Acts chapter 1 verses 1 through 8.

Tony Clark: Then there are a group of scholars who believed that Theophilus was not an individual of rural of priestly kind of not necessarily priestly but of great importance that Theophilus wasn't an individual but this was a crypted word for the people of God. Theophilus it comes a combination of two Greek words Theo which means God and Philos which means lover and that Luke was actually writing to the lovers of God. There's some room and there's a little bit of room to to believe that and the question is if you are a lover of God today then the book of Acts is for you as well.

Then Luke tells us in verse 1 of all Jesus began. Stop right there. The Gospels are just the beginning of what Jesus began. And he will continue his work through the apostles, through the book of Acts and through our lives today. So the book of Acts continues sort of speak today as we continue to take the Gospel of Jesus Christ around the world and and and and actually watch God do great things in and through our lives as well. And then Luke says Jesus began to do and to teach. Oh, this is always the divine order.

Do it first then teach it. And if you want to impact your children's lives and the lives of those around you, you have to do it first then teach it. And this is what Jesus did for his disciples in John 13 and verse 15 after he washed his disciples' feet, he said for I have given you an example that you should do as I have done to you. So Jesus did it first, then taught them the lesson. And we will have the same effectiveness in those around us if we did it first then we taught them the lesson.

Oh, none of this mess you know, do as I say not as I do. That doesn't work and it will have the opposite effect in the lives of those around us. Now, how long should we do this? You know, do it first then teach it. Well, for as long as Jesus did for he did it until verse 2 says the day in which he was taken up. And even though Jesus was taken up according to these verses, he would drop in on the disciples for a period of 40 days giving them commandments and further instructions on taking the Gospel around the world.

There's something else I would like to draw to your attention is the phrase in verse 3 being seen by them for 40 days. The Greek word for seen is and it is where we get our English English word ophthalmologist or an eye doctor. It means that the apostles were eyeballing Jesus every time he came around to the point where he had to show them through many infallible proofs or unmistakable proofs that it was really him. Oh, I can just see whenever Jesus came around they would kind of nudge each other kind of hit each other and kind of look and you think that's really him?

I I don't know maybe maybe it really is him. And they would just eyeballing them and kind of stare and kind of look at them. Hey, let me tell you something. There's people eyeballing you. You came to you know, you you came around and you said that you're a Christian or you came Monday and said, hey, we had a great time at church and they heard you and there's people that's really just kind of sitting back and they're eyeballing. Are they really who they say they are? Are they really a Christian? Are they really living for God or are they one of those hypocrites?

Are they one of those people and and talk about God but don't live it? And there's people eyeballing you and they eyeballing me. They live around us. They work with us. They see us at the store and and they just kind of sitting back and just eyeballing us as well. So not only did Jesus come around and through many infallible proofs did he prove that he was he was really Jesus? Well, according to 1 Corinthians 15:6 Jesus showed himself to over 500 people. Why is that important? Because if the case of Jesus being resurrected came into our court system, our Jewish prudent system is based upon the testimony of witnesses.

And so if you had a case where the resurrection of Jesus was on the books and if you had 500 people who walked in the courtroom and said, yeah, I saw him. I saw him. Yeah, I saw him. I saw him. It will be a slam dunk case that the resurrection of Jesus really took place on the testimony of witnesses. And so over 500 people saw Jesus alive during that 40-day what is called post resurrection ministry that he had with the disciples as well as with many many people. Now, the final thing I want to show you in these verses is what Jesus spoke to them about.

The last part of verse 3 says speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. The Lord is still speaking to us today about the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. You said, well, how? Well, through our trials and tribulations. You said, well, what do you mean? Through our trials and tribulations we realize that this world is not our home. Trials and tribulations and suffering it has a way of loosening our our grip upon this world. When this happened, we long for the kingdom of God where Jesus is king where righteousness dwells. Oh, I don't know about you but I'm excited about something like that about a time where Jesus is reigning and ruling upon the earth.

We long for that particular time and it's when we go through trials and tribulations and sufferings and things like that that it has us longing for the kingdom of God. Somebody ought to be excited about that. Where righteousness dwells, where there's no more sin, where Jesus is on the throne. We don't have to worry about who's in the White House sort of speak. We can worry about Jesus Christ reigning and ruling where righteousness is dwelling. And I don't know about you but I am very excited about that but it's when we go through tough times, when we go through sufferings, when we go through tribulation it has a way of loosening our grip that we have upon this world.

Oh, we're in this world but we're told we're not of it. And so often we have such a tight grip upon this world and it's it's when God allows the trials and tribulations to pry this world from our grip and we long for the kingdom of God. Oh, we need to have the mindset that Abraham had in Hebrews 11 and verse 10 which says for he waited for a city which had foundations whose builder and maker is God. Abraham dwelt in tents. A tent was a temporary dwelling because he said this world is not my home.

He was looking for a city that was had firm solid foundations whose builder and maker is God himself. Oh, may we long for a time where may we long for a time where Jesus Christ is ruling and reigning and Jesus Christ will fill this earth with righteousness and not with the godliness that we are tormented with every single day. So remember this when you're going through tough times, God is reminding you and me that this world is not our home. Oh, oh, dear people, I believe we need to understand that this world is not our home.

That one day we going to dwell with Jesus Christ and be with him forever and ever. This world is not our home. Somebody needs to be reminded of this because you're always trying to get the the latest things and and stuff of this world and you want the this and that and you and and trials and tribulation has a way of loosening our grip. Sometime God has to pry the world from our grip and let us know that this world is not our home. Looking at verses 4 and 5. And being assembled together with them, he commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem but to wait for the promise of the Father which he said, you have heard from me.

For John truly baptized with water but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now. Now, in these verses we see how Jesus was assembled together with them and commanded them them not to depart from Jerusalem but to wait for the promise of the Father which he said, you have heard from me. Now, why did Jesus want them to wait for the promise of the Father? I believe because what he was commissioning them to do was depended upon them waiting for the promise of the Father. Or the next question is what is the promise of the Father?

Oh, what verse 5 tells us that it is the baptism the baptism of the Holy Spirit. So the baptism of the Holy Spirit is essential to the great commission of spreading the Gospel around the world. So what Jesus was commissioning them to do was predicated upon them being baptized with the Holy Spirit which they had to wait upon which was the promise of the Father. In other words, they could not begin to do one little peep of spreading the Gospel around the world without the baptism of the Holy Spirit being upon their lives. And I believe the same is true in our lives as well.

We cannot do what God has called us to do without us being baptized with the power of the Holy Spirit. Now, there's a lot of confusion today in the church about the baptism of the Holy Spirit. And I believe that the confusion lies in the lack of understanding of the three relationships we can have with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is number one with us. And that's the Greek preposition para. And and the purpose of the Holy Spirit with us is to convict us of our sin and to show us our need for Jesus Christ according to John 14 and verse 17 said that the Holy Spirit shall be with us.

And then when we realize our need for Jesus Christ, we repent of our sins, then the Holy Spirit we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, then the Holy Spirit comes number two in us. The Greek preposition e n and that this is we also see this in John 14 and verse 17 it said the Holy Spirit shall be with us and then it shall be in us. Then the Holy Spirit comes number three upon us by the Greek preposition a a p and and like we will see in verse 8 but a sneak preview of coming attractions it said that the Holy Spirit shall come upon you and you shall be witnesses to me.

And so look what it says there in verse 6. It says therefore when they had come together, they asked him saying, Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? Now, all of this talk about the promise of the Father um sparked or rekindled a hope that had died down. Uh the restoration of Israel all the Jews all always wanted to know when God was going to restore the kingdom back to Israel. So as we can see the baptism of the Holy Spirit has something to do with the restoration of Israel but as we will see uh that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is so much larger than just restoring Israel.

It it was to benefit the whole world. And this is what Jesus was trying to teach them. Yes, you know, it will have benefits to the nation of Israel but it it will have benefits beyond Israel and around the world. And this is true for us. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is not to just benefit us personally or for our church collectively but the baptism of the Holy Spirit is to have benefits globally. I say this because what we see in churches and in many people's lives today is them saying that the Holy Spirit came upon me and they and and they do a personal dance, a personal shout, a personal manifestation but the Holy Spirit is to have a global impact upon our lives.

Now, can the Holy Spirit do things for us personally? Yes. Yes, it can. But the main focus is to have an impact around the world. Well, how did Jesus respond to their question? Look at verse 7. And he said to them, is it not for you it says it is not for you to know times and seasons which the Father has put in his own authority. Now, Jesus is telling them it is not for you to know. Oh, can we stop right there, please? It might do you some good to underline this phrase because there are things that we aren't going to know that the Father has put in his own authority.

Oh, now, Jesus isn't saying that Israel doesn't have a place in God's plans because they do. He is saying, you just worry about what I commanded you to do which is to take the Gospel around the world and leave the other things in the Father's hands. Don't be afraid to tell people that you don't know something about the ways of God. Please keep in mind Deuteronomy 29:29 which says that the secret things belong to the Lord our God but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever that we may do all the words of the law.

So some things belong to God and those things he wants us to know he will reveal them to us. In other words, don't try to be a know-it-all but always be very careful when you're talking about the ways of God. This is why James 3:1 says, let not many of you become teachers knowing that you shall receive the stricter judgment. When I first started out in ministry, I felt like I had to know everything about the ways of God. And now 30 plus years later, I realized how much I don't know. Don't be afraid to say you don't know about the ways of God when God does something or he allows something and you don't understand it.

Don't feel that you have to try to make up some kind of answer. Sometimes the best thing to do is just be quiet because you don't know God's ways. I don't know all of God's ways, why God allowed this and allowed that and allowed this to happen and that didn't happen. We don't know the ways of God. Oh, I I as I began to search the scriptures and look at some the things of God I I wonder how I just realized how much I don't know. Why did God allow for David a man after God's own heart?

David the warrior who killed Goliath why did God allow him to be old and well advanced in years meaning that he was starting to become feeble-minded in his older age. But Caleb said, I'm 80 years old today. I'm just as strong as I was when I was 40. Why why? I don't know. I don't know. Why did why did God allow in Acts chapter 12 for James to be beheaded and he allowed Peter to go free? Why? I don't know. I don't know the all the ways of God and it it's best for you to to realize what Jesus says in these particular verses here.

It is not for you to know. The secret things belong to God. And earlier on in ministry I would never admit to this. Oh, but now 30 plus years later I realized I don't know anything about the ways of God. And so it would be behoove you to follow in the same steps to just you study hard, you try to study and know the word but there are some things we're just not going to know. We're not going to know. Look what it says there in verse 8. It says, but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth.

This verse is in contrast to verse 7. In verse 7 Jesus basically told them to do what they were commissioned to do. Now, in verse 8 he tells them that they will receive power. Greek word is dunamis which is that dynamic power to do God's work. He says, you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon a p the Greek preposition upon you to do what? See, this is the key. The Holy Spirit has come upon us to do what? Run around the church, act like you've been shocked by electricity, dance uncontrollably. No, Jesus said that the Holy Spirit will come upon you to do what, Jesus?

So you can be a witness for me. Now, we see that the purpose of the Holy Spirit according to Jesus is to empower us to be a witness for him. Oh, I wish people knew their Bibles. I wish people knew their Bibles. The purpose of the Holy Spirit is to empower us to be a witness. And this is why I said very early on that the reason why many people are not being a witness is because the lack of the power of the Holy Spirit upon their lives. We see in Acts 4 in verse 31 it says, they were filled with the Holy Spirit and here it is and they spoke the word with boldness.

Oh, there's people lack of boldness to speak the word. It's because of a lack of the baptism of the Holy Spirit being upon your life. The spirit of God came upon them so they can speak the word of God with boldness. Oh, I tell you this is such there is such a need for this today. And this is why I said that the greatest need in the church is the baptism of the Holy Spirit because it comes upon us to empower us to speak and be a bold witness for Jesus Christ. The Gospel of Jesus Christ isn't getting around the world because most Christians are timid.

They are afraid which shows a need for a fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit. And if this is you, then how do you get it? You may be sitting here and say, you know what? I lack a boldness. I'm timid. I sense God speaking in my heart say talked to them about me and I'm just scared. I'm just afraid. I'm afraid. I'm scared. I'm this. I'm timid and all this sort of thing. How can I get this? Hey, let me tell you something that's yours for the asking. In Luke 11:13 it says, if you being evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will God give the Holy Spirit to those who ask?

It is yours for the asking. It's yours for the ask. Just ask him and he will fill you afresh with his Holy Spirit. Oh, then you will have those who would say the baptism of the Holy Spirit when the Holy Spirit places us into the body of Christ and how Ephesians 4 said that there's one baptism. Let me tell you something. If you really want to be a scholar, there at least nine baptisms of the spirit that's being talked about. This right here is the empowering of the spirit of God coming upon our lives to empower us to be a bold witness for him and it's yours for the asking.

Oh, it's as if you filled up a glass to the brim to be baptized with the Holy Spirit when you continue to pour water in that glass and it spills over all over the place and this is what is needed in the church today a fresh power of the spirit of God being upon our lives to make us bold witness. The Bible said the righteous are as bold as a lion. That's because the spirit of God comes upon our lives to empower us to be a witness for him to take this message of love and grace around this world.

Oh, it's ours for the asking, folks. It's us. All we have to do is ask and we will watch God do a great work in our lives. Let me conclude with this. As we look at the world around us Christians being truly baptized with the Holy Spirit is needed more than ever because all of us have our own Jerusalem which is our home, our own Judea which is our community, our own Samaria which is our country and the ends of the earth which speaks of around the world. We cannot affect those areas without being baptized with the Holy Spirit so we can boldly speak about the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ who are hurting and dying world around us.

Will you come to be prayed for so that God's spirit can come a p upon your life in a fresh and new way so you can boldly proclaim Jesus Christ to your Jerusalem, your Judea, your Samaria and to the end of the earth. Or if you're here and you've never accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior, you never repented of your sin, that's first. That's first. You repent of your sin and you accept Christ believing that he died on the cross for you and rose again. The Bible says you shall be saved. No matter what, it's time for you to come.

Maybe you've backslidden. It's time for you to come home. We need believers that are baptized with the spirit of God, with the spirit of God upon their lives and upon our lives to boldly proclaim the message of Jesus Christ and we're going to study the book of Acts and we're going to see the lives of those who took the words of Jesus seriously. Oh, as Acts continue today will we find our name in in the the new book of Acts sort of speak because we are boldly proclaiming Jesus Christ in our generation as they did in theirs.

Oh, may God help us. May God empower us to be the witnesses he's called us to be. Let's pray. Father, I pray for your precious people here. I pray, God, that your Holy Spirit would come upon us afresh. Lord, to anoint us, to baptize us, to submerge us in your Holy Spirit that we may boldly proclaim your love and forgiveness and grace with a hurting and dying world. Oh, Lord, help us. Draw us to you by your spirit. And Lord, if there's anyone here who's never repented of their sin and accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior, draw them into your loving arms today in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Guest (Male): If the Word Made Plain has been a source of inspiration and encouragement to you, why not consider becoming a Word Made Plain giving partner to keep this listener supported program on the air? As a giving partner, you join forces with Calvary Chapel Newport News' kingdom vision of spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ. You can make your tax-deductible gift online at calvarynn.org or send your gift of any amount to 15553 Warwick Boulevard, Newport News, Virginia 23608 and receive a gift from Calvary Chapel Newport News as our thank you. In addition to your financial support, we ask that you pray for the Word Made Plain broadcast that it touches hearts and generates change in the lives of people around the world.

We pray you've been blessed by God's word today and hope you'll tune in next time to hear the Word Made Plain.