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All throughout the Old Testament, God promised his presence with his people.

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But because of sin and death, no one was able to fully inherit that promise.

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The only one who fully inherits that promise is Christ, the sinless Christ, the Christ who
lives forever, risen beyond death.

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He, as the man Jesus, our representative,

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He is the only one who can stand before the Father and inherit the promise of the presence
of God, the promise of the Holy Spirit.

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And then he pours that out on his church.

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The following message was recorded at Kingstree Church.

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May the Spirit use it to help you see, savor, and sing the beauty of God in the crucified
and risen Jesus Christ.

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oh

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Last week we had a break from the Acts series as I was preaching on uh apocalyptic
Christocentricity, this idea of Jesus Christ at the center of all things.

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It's I was teaching at a at a Bible conference, and so I just decided to use that same
sermon again for last week.

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But we're back now to Acts.

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We're back to Acts and we're into chapter two.

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And this morning we're going to be look at looking at what is arguably

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One of the most important events in all of salvation history.

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We don't often feel like it's that, but it is when we look at what is being done here,
what is being represented here.

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This is the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, the pouring down, the giving of
the Spirit on Pentecost.

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That's what we're going to be considering this week and actually next week as well,
because there's a lot that goes on in this.

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In this chapter.

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It's worth a lot more even than two weeks.

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But we're going to be doing two weeks.

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This week, we're going to just look at, okay, what happened at Pentecost and what did it
mean?

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So, what happened and what did it mean?

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Next week, we're going to focus more closely on the sermon that Peter gives, because here
we find this kind of first Christian sermon, this first sermon given after the

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resurrection of Jesus.

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So we're going to focus on his sermon.

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And especially we're going to look at the way that he uses the Old Testament, because it's
it's very illuminating to see how do the apostles read their Bible?

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That's next week.

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This week, though, we're just looking at, okay, what happened at Pentecost and what did it
mean?

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Because events themselves are ambiguous.

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We need to ask not just what happened, but also what did it mean?

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Because an event.

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Doesn't come usually preloaded with an interpretation.

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You might know, well, that was significant, but you don't know what it was for.

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You know, you might know this war, the fall of this country, the fall of this ruler, or
this event in my life, that was significant.

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I can feel that that was a big event.

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But you don't know what it means.

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It's there is no meaning given to you.

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Events in and of themselves are ambiguous until someone with authority can say,

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This is what that meant.

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And when it comes to a book, the author is the one who can do that for you.

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The author can say, This is what that meant.

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This is what that moment meant.

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But in the events of our life, in the events that happen in history, only the author of
history can give the defining interpretation.

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Let me tell you what that meant.

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So you might feel, that was significant, but we don't know what it meant until the author
tells us.

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And here in the book of Acts, in Acts chapter two.

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Gratefully, we have the author telling us what this meant.

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The there's the events of Pentecost.

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And then right after that, Peter stands up and speaks in the power of the Holy Spirit, the
very Spirit who just came on Pentecost, and he says, Let me tell you what this means.

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Let me tell you from Scripture what just what the event that just happened means.

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So that's what we're gonna look at today.

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What happened and what's it mean?

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And let me just put this in here, interject this.

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The same goes for us.

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The events in your life, you don't know what they mean until the author tells you what
they meant.

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You might say, Well, that was significant.

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I know this date was massively significant for me, whether it's in a way that led to joy
or a way that led to sorrow.

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You may you know this was significant, but you don't yet know what that means.

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So, so don't try to come up with your own, well, this is what it meant.

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You'll find out what that means.

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When you hear it from the lips of the author.

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And and we can be sure when we hear what it means, what every event meant, we will rejoice
beyond all imagining.

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You will weep for joy when he tells you, let me tell you what that meant.

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So, so don't rush to say, I'll try to have to figure out what this event meant.

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No, wait till the author tells you.

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That's what we're gonna look at today.

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What happened?

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What does it mean?

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Let me pray for us and we'll look at the text.

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Father, thank you that you are a God who acts in history and then who speaks in history.

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You act in the dirt and the reality of this world, and then you speak to tell us what
we're to think about that.

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What did that mean for us?

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And thank you that we find both of those in this chapter today.

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And I pray, Father, that you would grant me now the grace of this same Holy Spirit who
descended on Pentecost.

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The strengthening of the same Holy Spirit, that my words would be anointed to do more than
words can do.

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And that you would grant me, that you, Lord, not me, that you would work now to build up
your people into Christ, to give them Christ, to encourage them in Christ, to do your will

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here in the midst of this people.

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And may the words that I speak be the means unto that end.

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And so we all together now look to you and we all confess our absolute dependence upon you
as we open your word now and look to see and to hear and to know what you have for us.

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We pray these things in Jesus' name.

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Amen.

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Well, because this is a larger section, we're going to, I'm going to read it for you a
piece at a time as we go through it.

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So this first part is just looking at, okay, what happened on Pentecost?

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And I should say, Pentecost was a uh Jewish observation.

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It didn't just, you know, we think Pentecost, we think the Holy Spirit, but it was an
event that the Jewish people observed before this.

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That's why they were, everyone was gathered together.

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Pentecost was had kind of

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Two sides.

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It was a a recognition of the in-gathering of the harvest, the harvest season, gathering
it in and offering it to the Lord.

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And it was a commemoration, a remembrance of the giving of the law from Sinai.

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So gathering in the harvest and Sinai are in view when we come to Pentecost.

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Now on this Pentecost, the first one after Jesus' resurrection, something happens.

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Of singular importance, something that has never happened before.

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Let me read for you Luke's account here.

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When the day of Pentecost arises, chapter two, Lu Acts chapter two, starting in verse one.

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When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place, and suddenly there
came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where

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they were sitting, and divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one
of them.

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And they were filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in other tongues as the
Spirit gave them utterance.

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Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven.

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And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one
was hearing them speak in his own language.

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And they were amazed and astonished, saying, Are not all these who are speaking Galileans?

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And how is it that we hear each of us his own native language?

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Parthenians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia and Judea and Cappadocia
and Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and parts of Libya, belonging to Cyrene,

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so all over the place, that's the point.

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All over the place.

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And visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians, we hear them
telling in our own tongues.

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The mighty works of God.

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And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to what to one another, What does this mean?

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What does this mean?

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But others were mocking, saying, They're filled with new wine.

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So there's the event.

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There's what happened.

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And you see, even there, it's not clear.

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What does this mean?

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We're going to look at that in a second.

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But let's just consider the event itself briefly as we begin.

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What happens?

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Well, the disciples are all together.

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We can assume they're praying, because that's what we read in chapter one.

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They're all together.

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And suddenly there's this sound of rushing wind, and it breaks in and fills the room where
they are, and tongues of fire, the idea of like these, you know, flashing tongues of fire,

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are are appear on their head and they begin to speak.

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Now, when when Luke records this, he's recording historical fact, absolutely.

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But he's also intending us to feel the symbolic weight that these facts carry.

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Because these two concepts, wind and fire, they're full of symbolic weight that Luke wants
us to hear.

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And so I want to touch on that briefly.

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It says, the sound of a mighty rushing wind.

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So the spirit comes as a wind.

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Now, if you know about ancient languages, wind, breath, and spirit.

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Are all the same word in Greek and in Hebrew.

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There's this, there's no division there.

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There's the idea that the wind is the breath and the spirit all mingling in together.

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It's one concept.

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And so when he speaks of this wind coming, there's the idea also that it's God's own
breath breaking into this place, which is also the Holy Spirit.

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All that's together in this idea of wind.

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Now I emphasize that.

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Because the word Luke uses for wind here, a mighty rushing wind, is the same word we find
at the very beginning of the Bible in Genesis 2, when it says that God breathes into the

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nostrils, the face of Adam, and brings them to life.

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Genesis 2:7.

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So the first time we see this word, it's God breathing life into the unformed human being.

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And now Luke, who is well aware of that.

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Picks this up and say, this breath, this wind came from heaven into the place where they
were and rested on the disciples.

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So what Luke is calling us to see here, he's doing this through illusions.

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He's calling us to see, it's as though the risen Jesus, in this moment, the risen Jesus,
in a repetition of the creation of humanity, leans down and breathes into the face of his

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still unformed bride.

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Breathes his spirit into her and she becomes a living being.

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This is the this is a repetition of the creation of humanity being presented at what we
could call the creation of the church.

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God breathing life into his people and making them his church, his bride, his people.

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There's echoes of this all through scripture.

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We'll look at it more next week, but that's the idea here.

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That's what's going on here.

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This is this is a recreation event.

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They're being brought to life.

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Now, also, what is what is especially emphasized is the fire.

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They were filled, the the the s the wind fills the room, and tongues of fire rest upon
each one of them.

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Now, when you hear fire, may many things may come to mind.

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In scripture, fire is often representing the presence of God, the presence, the holy,
unapproachable presence of God.

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You see that the very first kind of the paradigmatic moment where

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Moses meets Yahweh, Yahweh speaks his name at the burning bush.

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And that fire on the bush represents the presence of God, the holy presence of God.

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You see this in the wilderness, also in Exodus, when God's people are being led, the sign
of his presence with them is in the day there's a cloud, in the night, fire, a column of

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fire goes before them.

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When they come to Sinai, what comes down on Sinai?

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Fire descends on the top of the mountain.

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And remember, Pentecost has to do with Sinai, so where there's some echoing going on here.

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Fire on Sinai represents the presence of God.

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But perhaps most significantly for this today is at the at the dedication of the temple in
Second Chronicles.

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Let me turn back here and read this for you.

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When Solomon dedicates the temple, here's what we find in Second Chronicles.

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Chronicles 7.

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I'll just read it for you.

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You don't have to turn there.

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As soon as Solomon finished his prayer, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt
offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple, and the priests

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could not enter the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord filled the house of
the Lord.

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When all the people saw the fire come down and the glory of the Lord on the temple,

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They bowed down with their faces to the ground and worshipped God, worshipped and gave
thanks to the Lord, saying, For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.

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So when the temple is consecrated to Yahweh, what happens?

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Fire descends, and the people see the fire and fall down and say, Glory, glory to God,
glory to God.

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God is in this place.

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And we'll again, I don't mean to continue putting it off to next week.

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We'll look at more specifics next week.

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But it is quite clear that Luke is intending here that we would see this fire coming down
from heaven onto the disciples as an as a repetition and a full fulfilling of that moment,

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that the fire is descending to fill the temple.

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Just like the fire came down on the temple in the old covenant, now the fire is coming
down on the temple.

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But the temple's the people of God, the temple's the disciples of Christ.

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The temple is all those united by faith to the temple, Jesus Christ.

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And so with this fire imagery, Luke is calling us to see the church of which we're a part,
Christian, as the end time temple of God, the place where God meets with humanity.

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So we'll come back to this, but what happened?

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Wind, the breath of God bringing his people to life, fire, the presence of God descending
upon his temple.

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This is all happening in this little room in the middle of Jerusalem.

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And everybody looks and says, What does this mean?

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What what are the implications of this happening in our midst?

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We'll get to that.

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We'll get to that at our second part, but let me say first, before we do, before we make
that transition, see what the Spirit does.

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See what the Spirit does.

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He gives speech.

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Look at verse four.

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And they were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak.

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Not there's any number of things they could have done, but they began to speak in other
tongues, which means in in other languages.

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First, see here what the content of their speech is.

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They began to speak, and what is it they were saying?

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Look down in verse 11.

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Both Jews and proselytes, all these different people, we hear them telling what?

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The mighty works of God, or the or the excellencies of God.

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What does the Spirit do?

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He fills the people of Christ so that they speak about the excellencies of God.

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That's what the Spirit does here in this in this first appearance.

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He fills the people so that they speak about God.

210
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And if we go on and look at the rest of this chapter, it's clear.

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The excellencies that they're speaking about, the mighty works to which they're referring,
is Christ, the death and resurrection of Jesus.

212
00:17:05,204 --> 00:17:10,575
The Spirit fills the people so that they speak the excellence of God in Christ.

213
00:17:10,575 --> 00:17:13,786
That's what the Spirit, that's his, that's his work.

214
00:17:13,786 --> 00:17:15,146
That's what he does.

215
00:17:15,387 --> 00:17:18,487
But then look at the character of his speech.

216
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The character of the speech is universal.

217
00:17:23,189 --> 00:17:25,666
Verse 8: How is it?

218
00:17:25,666 --> 00:17:27,857
That we hear each of us in our own language.

219
00:17:27,857 --> 00:17:30,929
And then it goes through all these different scattered people.

220
00:17:30,989 --> 00:17:35,341
And it says, all of us hear them telling in our own tongues the works of God.

221
00:17:35,341 --> 00:17:40,054
So the speech the Spirit gives is about the excellencies of God in Christ.

222
00:17:40,134 --> 00:17:44,176
And it is a universal, it it draws together.

223
00:17:44,276 --> 00:17:45,517
It brings in.

224
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It doesn't push away, it brings in.

225
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This is neat to see.

226
00:17:49,989 --> 00:17:51,670
We're going back to Genesis here for a moment.

227
00:17:51,670 --> 00:17:55,362
I'm I know I'm bouncing back and forth, but Luke is doing so much.

228
00:17:55,572 --> 00:17:57,603
In such subtle ways here.

229
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In Genesis, you might remember this: the Tower of Babel, right?

230
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Humanity opposes God.

231
00:18:04,866 --> 00:18:07,687
They want to glorify themselves.

232
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So God comes down, confuses their language, and scatters them.

233
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Okay?

234
00:18:13,209 --> 00:18:17,171
Glorify myself, language confused, scattered.

235
00:18:17,431 --> 00:18:22,093
What we see here, the people are speaking now to glorify God.

236
00:18:22,202 --> 00:18:24,782
And in doing so, language is

237
00:18:24,782 --> 00:18:33,722
Healed, the divisions of languages are healed, and nations, all these nations it lists
here, come together to hear.

238
00:18:33,722 --> 00:18:42,829
So this is an anti-Babel, a reversal of Babel, glorifying God, languages healed, people
are gathered together.

239
00:18:42,870 --> 00:18:49,272
So when the Spirit comes, he moves people to speak of the excellencies of God in Christ.

240
00:18:49,312 --> 00:18:54,158
And by this speech, the divisions of the human race are being.

241
00:18:54,158 --> 00:18:54,938
Healed.

242
00:18:54,938 --> 00:18:56,789
How do we heal these divisions?

243
00:18:56,789 --> 00:18:59,520
You'd mean people say, we're more polarized now than we've ever been.

244
00:18:59,520 --> 00:19:02,260
We're more divided now than we've ever been.

245
00:19:02,260 --> 00:19:12,393
Division among humans is healed as Jesus Christ is lifted up and glory is given to God by
the power of the Spirit.

246
00:19:12,393 --> 00:19:23,224
The Holy Spirit lifts up Christ and as and that heals the divisions we've driven into
ourselves by our own pursuits of glory.

247
00:19:23,224 --> 00:19:24,795
That's what's going on here.

248
00:19:25,556 --> 00:19:26,606
So here's what's happening.

249
00:19:26,606 --> 00:19:37,604
This is the the the the wind has come, the breath has been given to the church, this fire
has fallen on the temple, Babel is being reversed, all these things are happening, all

250
00:19:37,604 --> 00:19:40,746
this is coming together, and we say, What does it mean?

251
00:19:40,867 --> 00:19:42,858
What am I supposed to understand about this?

252
00:19:42,858 --> 00:19:44,950
What what do I take away from this?

253
00:19:44,950 --> 00:19:51,576
And that's then, thankfully, Peter stands up and says, Okay, let me tell you all who are
confused.

254
00:19:51,576 --> 00:19:53,927
Let me tell you what this means, what you're seeing here.

255
00:19:53,927 --> 00:19:58,449
You're all aware something significant is going on, but let me tell you what it means.

256
00:19:58,449 --> 00:20:01,350
That's what Peter's doing in verse 12.

257
00:20:01,430 --> 00:20:04,371
So I'm sorry, verse 14.

258
00:20:04,832 --> 00:20:06,182
So let me read a little bit for you.

259
00:20:06,182 --> 00:20:12,735
Verse 14, Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them because
they're all confused.

260
00:20:12,755 --> 00:20:13,995
What's going on?

261
00:20:14,076 --> 00:20:20,428
Men of Judah, men of Judah and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you.

262
00:20:20,652 --> 00:20:22,483
And give ear to my words.

263
00:20:22,483 --> 00:20:24,364
For these people are not drunk.

264
00:20:24,364 --> 00:20:26,044
Okay, that's not what's going on.

265
00:20:26,044 --> 00:20:28,566
These people are not drunk, as you suppose.

266
00:20:28,566 --> 00:20:30,506
It is only the third hour of the day.

267
00:20:30,506 --> 00:20:38,990
But this, this thing that's happening, this thing that you're seeing, this is what was
uttered through the prophet Joel.

268
00:20:38,990 --> 00:20:47,928
And then he quotes a long section straight from the book of Joel, where he says this And
in the last days it shall be, God declares.

269
00:20:47,928 --> 00:20:58,184
That I will pour out my spirit on all flesh, on your sons and your daughter your sons and
your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream

270
00:20:58,184 --> 00:21:09,380
dreams, even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my
spirit, and they shall prophesy, and I will show wonders in heaven above and signs on the

271
00:21:09,380 --> 00:21:16,376
earth below, blood and fire, vapor of smoke, the sun shall be turned to darkness, the moon
to blood.

272
00:21:16,376 --> 00:21:26,394
Before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day, and it shall come to pass
that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

273
00:21:26,394 --> 00:21:31,418
So Peter is saying, Listen, you remember that thing Joel wrote?

274
00:21:31,438 --> 00:21:32,999
That's what's happening right now.

275
00:21:32,999 --> 00:21:33,730
That's what's happened.

276
00:21:33,730 --> 00:21:35,321
That's that's the meaning.

277
00:21:35,481 --> 00:21:39,464
It's exactly what was said in the book of Joel.

278
00:21:39,805 --> 00:21:45,169
Now, perhaps you remember as a kid fire drills at sh at your school.

279
00:21:45,169 --> 00:21:46,602
I do, I remember them.

280
00:21:46,602 --> 00:21:53,234
And you know, your teacher says, hey, we're gonna have a fire drill today, and you get
excited because that means, hey, 15 minutes at least is out of this class because we're

281
00:21:53,234 --> 00:21:54,704
all gonna have to get up and leave.

282
00:21:54,704 --> 00:21:56,305
But you know it's a drill.

283
00:21:56,305 --> 00:22:02,626
The alarm goes off, nobody's terribly concerned, you know it's a drill, you walk out, you
get there, and then you come back in.

284
00:22:03,107 --> 00:22:10,829
But if that ever happens and somebody says, This is not a drill, this is not a drill, you
say, Whoa, okay, it's serious now.

285
00:22:10,829 --> 00:22:14,870
This is really happening now, and that changes the way everything feels.

286
00:22:14,870 --> 00:22:16,380
This is really happening.

287
00:22:17,172 --> 00:22:19,384
In a sense, that's what Peter's doing here.

288
00:22:19,384 --> 00:22:22,556
The prophecies have been coming for a long time.

289
00:22:22,556 --> 00:22:27,950
The last day is coming, the inbreaking of God, the great work of salvation.

290
00:22:27,950 --> 00:22:31,612
This day's coming, but it's always been, it's coming, it's coming, it's coming.

291
00:22:31,992 --> 00:22:38,497
And now Peter stands up and says, This happening right now is what he said.

292
00:22:38,497 --> 00:22:40,919
He essentially says, This is not a drill.

293
00:22:40,919 --> 00:22:46,114
This is the last days breaking in, happening right now.

294
00:22:46,114 --> 00:22:47,415
That's what Peter's saying here.

295
00:22:47,415 --> 00:22:49,395
And there's more to that, too.

296
00:22:49,395 --> 00:22:54,257
Because let's go back, or or just listen carefully with me if you don't want to fiddle
around with your Bible.

297
00:22:54,257 --> 00:22:59,679
Let's go back and look at that passage in Joel because there's something pretty
interesting to see.

298
00:23:00,700 --> 00:23:06,923
So Peter quotes Joel chapter 2, verse 28, and following.

299
00:23:06,923 --> 00:23:09,324
He's saying, This is being fulfilled right now.

300
00:23:09,324 --> 00:23:10,634
This is being fulfilled right now.

301
00:23:10,634 --> 00:23:13,145
Okay, let's go back and see what it says.

302
00:23:13,325 --> 00:23:15,626
Verse 28 begins this way.

303
00:23:15,752 --> 00:23:24,846
And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out my spirit on all flesh and
everything we just read.

304
00:23:25,146 --> 00:23:27,047
Now, here's why that's important.

305
00:23:27,047 --> 00:23:32,049
Peter is pointing to this passage in Joel and saying, This is happening right now.

306
00:23:32,669 --> 00:23:38,252
But this passage in Joel says, This won't happen until something else has happened.

307
00:23:38,252 --> 00:23:44,294
This all, this this whole thing, will only happen after something else has already
happened.

308
00:23:44,696 --> 00:23:53,492
So in Peter's mind, Peter is saying, This is all happening now, which means the thing Joel
says has to happen first must have already happened.

309
00:23:53,492 --> 00:23:56,334
You follow me with where Peter's thinking there?

310
00:23:56,374 --> 00:24:02,338
Okay, well then let's go back and see what Joel says has to happen before the spirit is
poured out.

311
00:24:02,359 --> 00:24:05,521
Because in Peter's mind, that's already been taken care of.

312
00:24:05,521 --> 00:24:06,662
What's it say?

313
00:24:06,662 --> 00:24:12,674
Just a little bit earlier in Joel, it says this fear not, O land.

314
00:24:12,674 --> 00:24:16,177
Be glad and rejoice, for the Lord has done great things.

315
00:24:16,198 --> 00:24:20,522
Fear not, you beasts of the field, for the pastures of the wilderness are green.

316
00:24:20,522 --> 00:24:24,226
The tree bears its fruit, the fig tree and the vine give their full yield.

317
00:24:24,226 --> 00:24:30,472
Be glad, O children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God, for he has given the early
rain for your vindication.

318
00:24:30,472 --> 00:24:37,240
He has poured down for you for you abundant rain, the early and the latter rain, and then
jump down and

319
00:24:37,240 --> 00:24:49,070
To verse twenty six, you shall eat in plenty and be satisfied and praise the name of the
Lord your God who has dwelt dealt wondrously with you, and my people shall never again be

320
00:24:49,070 --> 00:24:50,021
put to shame.

321
00:24:50,021 --> 00:25:04,932
You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am Yahweh, your God, and there
is none else, and my people shall never again be put to shame.

322
00:25:05,133 --> 00:25:06,684
Now here's the point.

323
00:25:07,136 --> 00:25:13,611
Joel says that has to happen before the spirit is poured out.

324
00:25:14,092 --> 00:25:18,556
And Peter says, the spirit is being poured out just like Joel said.

325
00:25:18,556 --> 00:25:21,066
The end times are here, just like Joel said.

326
00:25:21,066 --> 00:25:22,118
Well, wait a second.

327
00:25:22,118 --> 00:25:26,963
That means this awesome salvation by which we know Yahweh in our midst.

328
00:25:26,963 --> 00:25:28,073
That must have already happened.

329
00:25:28,073 --> 00:25:31,767
Because Joel says the spirit's not being poured out till that happens.

330
00:25:31,767 --> 00:25:34,028
And we say, When did that happen?

331
00:25:34,309 --> 00:25:36,308
And Peter's answer he's going to give is

332
00:25:36,308 --> 00:25:40,339
In the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

333
00:25:41,159 --> 00:25:51,362
Joel, this great end time salvation, this inbreaking of God by which he says, This is who
I am, and you are mine, and I am saving you.

334
00:25:51,483 --> 00:25:56,324
That happens, not in some further time way down the road.

335
00:25:56,324 --> 00:26:00,245
Peter's interpretation is that happened when Jesus came.

336
00:26:00,325 --> 00:26:03,446
That happened when Jesus died on the cross.

337
00:26:03,446 --> 00:26:08,748
And that happened when Jesus was raised up again to new life.

338
00:26:08,908 --> 00:26:12,550
So that's that's Peter's interpretation here.

339
00:26:12,910 --> 00:26:14,351
This is not a drill.

340
00:26:14,351 --> 00:26:16,432
The end times are here.

341
00:26:16,432 --> 00:26:26,516
And that means the great salvation of God has been worked in the death and resurrection of
Jesus Christ, which is an awesome thing to consider.

342
00:26:26,516 --> 00:26:28,177
So that's how Peter starts.

343
00:26:28,177 --> 00:26:31,670
He says, the end times are here, and they happened.

344
00:26:31,670 --> 00:26:35,832
As God broke in to save through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

345
00:26:35,832 --> 00:26:38,890
But then he goes on and gives a little bit more.

346
00:26:38,890 --> 00:26:42,436
He says, Men of Israel, hear these words.

347
00:26:42,556 --> 00:26:43,857
Jesus of Nazareth.

348
00:26:43,857 --> 00:26:45,158
So now we know why.

349
00:26:45,158 --> 00:26:48,200
Why is he instantly jumped to talk about Jesus?

350
00:26:48,200 --> 00:26:53,363
Well, we know why, because in his mind he's saying the great salvation was achieved
through Christ.

351
00:26:53,363 --> 00:26:56,364
Because of that, the spirit is poured out, just like Joel said.

352
00:26:56,364 --> 00:26:59,522
So, of course, after I mention this pouring out of the spirit,

353
00:26:59,522 --> 00:27:03,865
I'm going to talk about Jesus who brought that all about, who made that all possible.

354
00:27:04,146 --> 00:27:06,658
So he says, Men of Israel, hear these words.

355
00:27:06,658 --> 00:27:16,475
Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs
that God did through him in your midst, as you yourself know.

356
00:27:16,516 --> 00:27:18,358
What an amazing sermon, right?

357
00:27:18,358 --> 00:27:20,059
You remember Jesus?

358
00:27:20,059 --> 00:27:22,821
You remember he was here two months ago?

359
00:27:22,821 --> 00:27:24,662
You remember what he did?

360
00:27:24,943 --> 00:27:29,066
Like that's amazing that Peter's able to give this sermon, but then he goes on.

361
00:27:29,974 --> 00:27:41,097
As you yourselves know, this Jesus delivered up according to the definite plan and
foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.

362
00:27:41,137 --> 00:27:50,180
But God raised him up, loosening the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him
to be held by them.

363
00:27:50,180 --> 00:27:51,720
It was not possible.

364
00:27:51,720 --> 00:27:58,936
For David says, and this is what we read this morning: I saw the Lord always before me,
for he is at my right hand.

365
00:27:58,936 --> 00:28:00,487
That I may not be shaken.

366
00:28:00,487 --> 00:28:07,973
Therefore my heart was glad, my tongue rejoiced, my flesh also will dwell in hope, for you
will not abandon my soul to Hades.

367
00:28:07,973 --> 00:28:09,453
That's David writing.

368
00:28:09,454 --> 00:28:11,295
Peter says, that's about Jesus.

369
00:28:11,295 --> 00:28:15,198
You'll not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your holy one see corruption.

370
00:28:15,198 --> 00:28:18,040
You have made known to me the path of life.

371
00:28:18,040 --> 00:28:21,283
You will make me full of gladness with your presence.

372
00:28:21,283 --> 00:28:26,434
Brothers, Peter says, I may say to you with confidence that the patriarch David.

373
00:28:26,434 --> 00:28:32,038
He both died and was buried, and his tomb is right here in this city, with us to this day.

374
00:28:32,318 --> 00:28:43,136
Being therefore a prophet and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would
set one of his descendants on the throne, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of

375
00:28:43,136 --> 00:28:48,450
the Christ, that he was not to be abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh seek corruption.

376
00:28:48,450 --> 00:28:54,988
This Jesus, God raised up, and we are all witnesses of this.

377
00:28:54,988 --> 00:29:04,665
Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, here's the key to hear, being therefore
exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the

378
00:29:04,665 --> 00:29:11,189
Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves see.

379
00:29:11,730 --> 00:29:14,352
So what's going on?

380
00:29:14,652 --> 00:29:18,115
The last days are here, Peter says, and they are here.

381
00:29:18,115 --> 00:29:18,795
Why?

382
00:29:18,795 --> 00:29:22,750
Because a man was crucified and is now crucial.

383
00:29:22,750 --> 00:29:23,971
raised up again.

384
00:29:23,971 --> 00:29:28,953
By the resurrection of Jesus Christ, these last days have begun.

385
00:29:28,953 --> 00:29:31,834
By the resurrection of Jesus Christ, these last days have begun.

386
00:29:31,834 --> 00:29:33,535
And how do we know he's risen?

387
00:29:33,690 --> 00:29:36,697
You know, how do we know that Jesus Christ is raised?

388
00:29:36,697 --> 00:29:38,938
How does Peter have any or have any confidence of that?

389
00:29:38,938 --> 00:29:40,118
Look what he says.

390
00:29:41,806 --> 00:29:49,490
Verse 33, being therefore exalted to the right hand of God, having received from the
Father the promise of the Spirit, he has poured this out.

391
00:29:49,490 --> 00:29:54,653
So he says, Look, the Spirit is here because Christ is risen.

392
00:29:54,713 --> 00:29:55,714
That's the point.

393
00:29:55,714 --> 00:30:01,837
The Spirit is here because the man you crucified is risen from the dead.

394
00:30:01,937 --> 00:30:06,440
And he has received the Holy Spirit, and he has poured him out.

395
00:30:06,440 --> 00:30:10,562
He has poured him out on us all throughout the Old Testament.

396
00:30:10,562 --> 00:30:14,925
God promised his presence with his people.

397
00:30:15,245 --> 00:30:22,550
But because of sin and death, no one was able to fully inherit that promise.

398
00:30:22,730 --> 00:30:31,977
The only one who fully inherits that promise is Christ, the sinless Christ, the Christ who
lives forever, risen beyond death.

399
00:30:31,977 --> 00:30:40,258
He, as the man Jesus, our representative, he is the only one who can stand before the
Father and inherit.

400
00:30:40,258 --> 00:30:45,842
The promise of the presence of God, the promise of the Holy Spirit.

401
00:30:46,422 --> 00:30:49,364
Jesus, our Lord, our King, He's done that.

402
00:30:49,364 --> 00:30:50,305
He's gone there.

403
00:30:50,305 --> 00:30:54,247
He's received that promise as the risen Jesus.

404
00:30:54,328 --> 00:30:57,230
And then He pours that out on His church.

405
00:30:57,230 --> 00:31:07,858
And Peter says, Listen, the only reason this is happening is because Christ is risen and
has received the promise and poured it out on us.

406
00:31:07,858 --> 00:31:09,078
Think about this.

407
00:31:09,506 --> 00:31:15,319
Imagine there's a king and he's in a kingdom, but there's an enemy with a great empire all
around him.

408
00:31:15,319 --> 00:31:17,881
And and this enemy is opposed to the king.

409
00:31:17,881 --> 00:31:25,414
And the king says to you, I'm going into the I'm going into enemy territory, and I'm going
to defeat my enemy and take the throne.

410
00:31:25,634 --> 00:31:31,498
And when I do, I will send a dove as a sign, I've I've conquered.

411
00:31:31,498 --> 00:31:32,659
I'm on the throne.

412
00:31:32,659 --> 00:31:34,720
And you say, Okay, all right, I trust you.

413
00:31:34,720 --> 00:31:35,440
He leaves.

414
00:31:35,440 --> 00:31:36,561
You don't see anything.

415
00:31:36,561 --> 00:31:37,652
You wait, you wait, you wait.

416
00:31:37,652 --> 00:31:38,842
Months go by.

417
00:31:38,892 --> 00:31:46,965
And after a while, a messenger comes into your town, opens up a wooden cage, and a white
dove flies out.

418
00:31:47,466 --> 00:31:49,947
Now that dove is a lot more than a bird.

419
00:31:49,947 --> 00:31:53,002
It is a witness the king has conquered.

420
00:31:53,002 --> 00:31:53,475
Right?

421
00:31:53,475 --> 00:31:57,750
Because he said, When I rule, I'll send this sign.

422
00:31:57,770 --> 00:32:00,831
So if the sign is here, he's ruling.

423
00:32:00,831 --> 00:32:04,953
If the sign is here, he's alive and well and reigning.

424
00:32:05,073 --> 00:32:06,163
And that's what Peter says.

425
00:32:06,163 --> 00:32:08,054
He says, The spirit is.

426
00:32:08,054 --> 00:32:17,939
Is the sign Jesus is alive and well and reigning over creation, over all things.

427
00:32:18,260 --> 00:32:28,145
If the Spirit is here, then this means the man who was crucified two months ago on a Roman
cross is the king of the universe right now.

428
00:32:28,145 --> 00:32:31,747
That's the claim Peter's making, which is an astounding claim.

429
00:32:31,747 --> 00:32:34,189
But the Holy Spirit is here bearing witness to it.

430
00:32:34,189 --> 00:32:34,909
That's the whole point.

431
00:32:34,909 --> 00:32:36,800
Everybody says, what does this mean?

432
00:32:37,004 --> 00:32:40,236
And Peter says it means the man you crucified is alive.

433
00:32:40,296 --> 00:32:42,077
That's why the Spirit is here.

434
00:32:42,077 --> 00:32:44,358
The man you crucified is alive.

435
00:32:44,759 --> 00:32:53,444
But more than that, more than that, one further step, it means the man you crucified is
Lord and Christ.

436
00:32:53,444 --> 00:32:55,745
Do you see that at the very end?

437
00:32:58,422 --> 00:33:13,555
verse verse thirty six six, let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that
God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you've crucified.

438
00:33:13,555 --> 00:33:14,836
That's the meaning.

439
00:33:14,836 --> 00:33:16,576
What does Pentecost mean?

440
00:33:16,597 --> 00:33:26,345
It means the crucified man, Jesus, is risen again and is Lord and Christ over all.

441
00:33:26,345 --> 00:33:28,246
That's what Pentecost means.

442
00:33:28,616 --> 00:33:42,188
Let all of Israel, and he could say, let all humanity, let everyone here at King Street,
let all people know for certain, therefore, right, because the Spirit is here, let

443
00:33:42,188 --> 00:33:54,969
everyone know for certain God has made the crucified Jesus to be the Lord and the Christ,
the anointed King, over all of reality.

444
00:33:54,969 --> 00:33:56,226
Okay, see that.

445
00:33:56,226 --> 00:34:00,009
dove that the king said, I'll release it when I when I conquer my enemy.

446
00:34:00,009 --> 00:34:03,510
See that dove flying, and you say, He's conquered.

447
00:34:03,631 --> 00:34:04,992
He's the victor.

448
00:34:04,992 --> 00:34:06,893
The enemy is thrown down.

449
00:34:06,893 --> 00:34:08,954
There is there's a king on the throne.

450
00:34:08,954 --> 00:34:10,135
How do you know?

451
00:34:10,255 --> 00:34:11,176
I see his sign.

452
00:34:11,176 --> 00:34:12,557
I see the dove he sent.

453
00:34:12,557 --> 00:34:13,611
And we say, How do you know?

454
00:34:13,611 --> 00:34:15,478
And you say, The spirit.

455
00:34:15,799 --> 00:34:25,985
The spirit could not be here if Christ were not risen and reigning from the throne, having
inherited that promise from the Father and poured it out.

456
00:34:26,330 --> 00:34:28,151
On his people.

457
00:34:28,591 --> 00:34:30,432
So what does Pentecost mean?

458
00:34:30,432 --> 00:34:33,193
It means Christ is risen.

459
00:34:33,813 --> 00:34:37,174
And it means that the risen Christ is reigning.

460
00:34:37,455 --> 00:34:46,778
And it means that by his resurrection, the great promised salvation of God has come, and
the last days have begun.

461
00:34:46,979 --> 00:34:47,869
That's what it means.

462
00:34:47,869 --> 00:34:49,520
That's what Pentecost means.

463
00:34:49,520 --> 00:34:51,601
That's what we're living in the midst of.

464
00:34:51,601 --> 00:34:55,618
And Peter is saying to the people listening to him this is what's happened.

465
00:34:55,618 --> 00:34:58,499
I want you to see that this is what's happened.

466
00:34:59,179 --> 00:35:01,810
So then, what does that mean for us?

467
00:35:01,810 --> 00:35:08,282
If that's what Pentecost means, and you know we went through this quickly, we'll come back
and look at it with a finer tooth comb next week.

468
00:35:08,282 --> 00:35:14,143
But if that's the broad brush strokes of what Pentecost means, what does it mean for me?

469
00:35:14,143 --> 00:35:16,464
I'm not in first century Jerusalem.

470
00:35:16,464 --> 00:35:20,885
I'm in 21st century Sabina or Wilmington or wherever it may be.

471
00:35:20,885 --> 00:35:22,865
What does this mean for me?

472
00:35:23,626 --> 00:35:24,962
Well, of course.

473
00:35:24,962 --> 00:35:26,563
We could say so many things.

474
00:35:26,563 --> 00:35:27,953
What does the Holy Spirit mean?

475
00:35:27,953 --> 00:35:28,243
Right.

476
00:35:28,243 --> 00:35:30,244
You could so much about that.

477
00:35:30,244 --> 00:35:36,146
But I think there's three things that we can draw out of this particular passage to take
with us.

478
00:35:36,146 --> 00:35:44,069
First, the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost means that we are the temple of God right
now.

479
00:35:44,069 --> 00:35:45,329
It means that.

480
00:35:45,530 --> 00:35:46,740
It means that.

481
00:35:47,234 --> 00:35:58,499
So we'll see some of these more links uh in the text next week, but but especially and
simply by that imagery of fire coming down and resting, Luke is saying the presence of God

482
00:35:58,499 --> 00:36:00,219
is now in the church.

483
00:36:00,379 --> 00:36:09,893
The presence, not this building, you know, not this this, but in his people, his church,
his body, the presence of God is now among his people.

484
00:36:09,893 --> 00:36:14,865
We Christians, we the church are the temple of God.

485
00:36:14,865 --> 00:36:16,662
That's what the coming of the Spirit.

486
00:36:16,662 --> 00:36:17,682
Means.

487
00:36:17,843 --> 00:36:29,469
That was true of them, and it's true of us, to the extent that, as Peter says in Acts 2
38, he says, um, repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ,

488
00:36:29,469 --> 00:36:33,351
for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

489
00:36:33,351 --> 00:36:39,674
Not you might, not if you're really sincere, maybe you will, not if you read your Bible
this much, this much, you'll get the Spirit.

490
00:36:39,675 --> 00:36:43,496
Repent, believe, be baptized, you will receive.

491
00:36:43,577 --> 00:36:46,028
So to the extent that you are a Christian,

492
00:36:46,346 --> 00:36:50,047
In Christ, trusting him, the Spirit is in you.

493
00:36:50,388 --> 00:37:00,152
And we are the temple of God, you and me, this body, and every faithful Christian
gathering.

494
00:37:00,152 --> 00:37:02,453
That is where the temple is.

495
00:37:02,453 --> 00:37:03,993
Temple's not in a specific place.

496
00:37:03,993 --> 00:37:04,954
It's not in Jerusalem.

497
00:37:04,954 --> 00:37:06,034
It's not, it's here.

498
00:37:06,034 --> 00:37:08,035
It's where his people are.

499
00:37:08,475 --> 00:37:11,287
And that is the place where God dwells.

500
00:37:11,287 --> 00:37:12,647
Remember, that's what the temple is about.

501
00:37:12,647 --> 00:37:15,038
This is where God dwells.

502
00:37:15,298 --> 00:37:16,479
Where does God live?

503
00:37:16,479 --> 00:37:18,780
Among his people.

504
00:37:18,780 --> 00:37:21,521
This ramshackle group of people.

505
00:37:21,521 --> 00:37:23,743
You look at us, you say, Well, God lives there.

506
00:37:23,743 --> 00:37:24,763
Yes.

507
00:37:24,843 --> 00:37:29,145
God lives in the midst of his blood bought people.

508
00:37:29,586 --> 00:37:41,352
And remember, the dwelling place of God was also the place that he ordained that he would
be seen in his glory and known and reconciled with and met with.

509
00:37:41,352 --> 00:37:45,364
You wanted to reconcile with God, you wanted to meet with God, you had to go to the
temple.

510
00:37:45,868 --> 00:37:49,399
That place now is his people, his people.

511
00:37:49,979 --> 00:38:00,982
Which means, Christian, that from since the coming of the Spirit, we bear the weighty
honor of being the place where the world meets with God.

512
00:38:01,243 --> 00:38:13,546
Of course, God can meet people any way he wants, and he does, but in the regular course of
things, people are to meet with God in the midst of his people, because of his people.

513
00:38:13,854 --> 00:38:17,407
We are bearing that, like it says in 1 John, love one another.

514
00:38:17,407 --> 00:38:26,024
And the implication is, he says, no one has ever seen God, but if you love one another,
God is in your midst and people will see him in your midst.

515
00:38:26,365 --> 00:38:29,747
So that's a weighty honor that we bear.

516
00:38:29,948 --> 00:38:32,089
We are the place people meet with God.

517
00:38:32,089 --> 00:38:32,830
How can it be?

518
00:38:32,830 --> 00:38:34,371
Only by his grace.

519
00:38:34,371 --> 00:38:39,275
But it also means this: if we would meet with God, we need to come together.

520
00:38:39,275 --> 00:38:40,336
That's the other thing here.

521
00:38:40,336 --> 00:38:42,508
If you would meet, if we would meet with him,

522
00:38:42,508 --> 00:38:43,999
We need to be with his people.

523
00:38:43,999 --> 00:38:47,101
There's a place for solitary seeking of the Lord.

524
00:38:47,101 --> 00:38:48,061
Absolutely.

525
00:38:48,061 --> 00:38:52,403
There's a place for getting away and pursuing him, but that's not the deepest.

526
00:38:52,884 --> 00:38:55,925
That's not the main way.

527
00:38:56,005 --> 00:39:03,780
The main way we meet with him is with his people at his temple, coming together and being
with his people.

528
00:39:03,780 --> 00:39:10,353
So are we thirsting for him, seeking for him, empty for him, meet with his people?

529
00:39:10,353 --> 00:39:11,786
That's where he's ordained.

530
00:39:11,786 --> 00:39:16,109
In the unique way to meet us, because this is where the Spirit is dwelling.

531
00:39:16,109 --> 00:39:25,335
And of course, we are the temple of God only, only, only because we are united to the
temple, which is Jesus Christ.

532
00:39:25,616 --> 00:39:30,519
Only because we're the body of Christ can it be said that we're his temple here on the
earth.

533
00:39:30,519 --> 00:39:33,361
The slain and risen Christ is the temple.

534
00:39:33,361 --> 00:39:37,626
We are the body of that temple here in time and space.

535
00:39:37,626 --> 00:39:38,925
So that's the first thing it means.

536
00:39:38,925 --> 00:39:40,436
Second thing, briefly.

537
00:39:40,610 --> 00:39:45,754
The coming of the Spirit on Pentecost means for you and for me that Jesus is risen.

538
00:39:45,955 --> 00:39:50,858
I find this awesome to imagine and to hold on to.

539
00:39:50,999 --> 00:39:56,223
Remember, the only way the spirit is present is if Christ is risen.

540
00:39:56,223 --> 00:39:57,664
That's the key here.

541
00:39:58,245 --> 00:40:05,251
The Spirit isn't poured out unless Jesus is raised from the dead to receive the Spirit and
pour the Spirit out.

542
00:40:05,251 --> 00:40:09,854
Which means if the Spirit is here, Christ is risen.

543
00:40:10,016 --> 00:40:13,968
If the Spirit is anywhere, Christ is risen.

544
00:40:13,968 --> 00:40:22,732
If the Spirit is working to convict you or encourage you or point you to Christ, he, by
his very presence with you, is saying, Christ is risen.

545
00:40:22,732 --> 00:40:33,877
It's like the Spirit is resonating constantly with this declaration: Christ is risen,
Christ is risen, Christ is risen, because he is only here because of the resurrection of

546
00:40:33,877 --> 00:40:34,547
Jesus Christ.

547
00:40:34,547 --> 00:40:36,308
And here's something amazing.

548
00:40:37,120 --> 00:40:45,255
1 Corinthians 12 13 says, you cannot say Jesus is Lord unless the Holy Spirit is enabling
you to do that.

549
00:40:45,516 --> 00:40:45,906
Okay?

550
00:40:45,906 --> 00:40:47,277
Okay, wait a second.

551
00:40:47,277 --> 00:40:54,622
I can't see the slain and risen Jesus and say, My Lord, and mean it, unless the Spirit is
working.

552
00:40:54,803 --> 00:40:59,906
But the Spirit can't be here to work unless that Jesus is risen from the dead.

553
00:41:00,167 --> 00:41:05,580
Which means every time your faith exerts itself in any way.

554
00:41:05,998 --> 00:41:09,019
Toward Christ, you are saying Christ is risen.

555
00:41:09,100 --> 00:41:15,754
Just, just the statement, Jesus is my Lord, is saying, Jesus is raised from the dead.

556
00:41:15,754 --> 00:41:19,366
Because I couldn't say this unless the Spirit was enabling it.

557
00:41:19,366 --> 00:41:23,708
And the Spirit's not going to enable it unless Christ is risen to give the Spirit.

558
00:41:23,708 --> 00:41:24,689
Why does that matter?

559
00:41:24,689 --> 00:41:25,889
Here's why.

560
00:41:25,950 --> 00:41:34,294
In the very depths of darkness, in the very depths of sorrow, when everything is broken to
the ground.

561
00:41:34,412 --> 00:41:39,204
The merest flicker in your soul that is able to say, Christ is Lord.

562
00:41:39,304 --> 00:41:41,585
Christ is Lord.

563
00:41:41,805 --> 00:41:47,547
That statement is a promise to you that He is risen.

564
00:41:47,707 --> 00:41:48,968
He's risen.

565
00:41:49,108 --> 00:41:57,992
The whispered confession of faith in the torture chamber of a prison camp is a declaration
from the Spirit of God.

566
00:41:57,992 --> 00:42:02,473
Jesus Christ is raised from the dead and you will be raised with him.

567
00:42:02,513 --> 00:42:04,416
And you will be with him.

568
00:42:04,416 --> 00:42:05,967
Joy is the end of your song.

569
00:42:05,967 --> 00:42:09,498
When I whisper in the midst of sorrow, Christ is my Lord.

570
00:42:09,498 --> 00:42:11,449
Jesus is my Lord.

571
00:42:11,609 --> 00:42:14,510
That is a promise, you'll be raised.

572
00:42:14,670 --> 00:42:16,091
Joy is coming.

573
00:42:16,091 --> 00:42:17,812
Hope is true.

574
00:42:17,812 --> 00:42:19,913
Love has overcome.

575
00:42:19,913 --> 00:42:22,494
Jesus Christ is raised from the dead.

576
00:42:22,494 --> 00:42:25,595
So the presence of the Spirit tells us Christ is risen.

577
00:42:25,595 --> 00:42:32,968
And then lastly, lastly, the presence of the Spirit tells us Jesus is king.

578
00:42:33,432 --> 00:42:36,864
He could not be here unless Jesus was on the throne.

579
00:42:36,904 --> 00:42:42,468
The Holy Spirit could not be in our midst unless Christ was reigning on the throne.

580
00:42:42,468 --> 00:42:50,193
And so again, in the midst of our darkness, when we say, Jesus, you're my Lord, where else
can I go?

581
00:42:50,514 --> 00:42:59,520
That statement, enabled by the Spirit, is promising you He's risen and He's reigning.

582
00:42:59,660 --> 00:43:02,772
He's alive and He's in control.

583
00:43:03,384 --> 00:43:05,185
Just in the midst of it.

584
00:43:05,185 --> 00:43:06,104
You don't know what to say.

585
00:43:06,104 --> 00:43:07,075
I don't know what to pray.

586
00:43:07,075 --> 00:43:08,155
I don't know what to do.

587
00:43:08,155 --> 00:43:14,917
If you can say, Jesus is Lord, God is saying to you, your hope is secure.

588
00:43:15,177 --> 00:43:17,078
Christ is alive.

589
00:43:17,078 --> 00:43:18,518
Joy is coming.

590
00:43:18,518 --> 00:43:21,299
And there's a king ruling the universe.

591
00:43:21,299 --> 00:43:22,659
So take heart.

592
00:43:22,739 --> 00:43:24,800
Just the ability to confess that.

593
00:43:24,800 --> 00:43:30,362
The world around us is looking, looking, looking for indications of what's gonna happen,
what's gonna happen?

594
00:43:30,362 --> 00:43:31,960
How can I be in control?

595
00:43:31,960 --> 00:43:42,118
The stock markets, the trends, the blood tests, the health numbers, the probabilities,
it's all trying to give me this sense of control so that I can have peace.

596
00:43:42,459 --> 00:43:50,966
But the presence of the Spirit ought to be the only indicator I need because the presence
of the Spirit tells me Jesus is King.

597
00:43:50,966 --> 00:43:52,627
Jesus is Lord.

598
00:43:52,627 --> 00:44:01,750
There's a king on the throne and he holds all things in his hands, and he rules your past
and your present.

599
00:44:01,750 --> 00:44:04,852
And your future, and you belong to Him.

600
00:44:04,913 --> 00:44:15,241
That's what the Holy Spirit is telling us, and that's at least partially what it means to
live as Christians after Pentecost, after the coming of the Spirit on Pentecost.

601
00:44:15,241 --> 00:44:27,131
Now, that throne, that throne from which Jesus Christ, the crucified one, is ruling
reality right now, is in a very real sense this table.

602
00:44:27,251 --> 00:44:29,674
This table is that throne.

603
00:44:29,674 --> 00:44:30,714
Here

604
00:44:30,720 --> 00:44:45,790
In front of us, here is a instantiation, a picture, a witness of the throne of heaven from
which the one whose body was broken for us and whose blood was spilled for us is reigning

605
00:44:45,790 --> 00:44:48,242
in love over us right now.

606
00:44:48,242 --> 00:44:50,283
That's what this is a witness to.

607
00:44:50,784 --> 00:44:53,186
This very table.

608
00:44:53,186 --> 00:45:00,000
And you can get up, right, and walk to this table by your own strength, but you can't come
to this table.

609
00:45:00,000 --> 00:45:04,052
And receive it in faith, unless the Holy Spirit is working.

610
00:45:04,052 --> 00:45:15,436
The only way for you, Christian, to come to this table and say, Jesus is my Lord, is if
the Spirit is right now working in you, working in me.

611
00:45:16,077 --> 00:45:21,959
What that means then is if you can come to this table here in a moment by faith, then the
Spirit is here.

612
00:45:22,460 --> 00:45:28,382
And if the Spirit is here, then we are united to Christ as the temple of God.

613
00:45:28,842 --> 00:45:34,445
If the Spirit is here, the crucified one is risen, and we will be raised with him.

614
00:45:34,626 --> 00:45:40,229
If the Spirit is here, Jesus Christ is reigning over all things from the throne.

615
00:45:40,270 --> 00:45:49,242
So as you come by faith to this table and say, This one is my Lord, the Spirit is
testifying to you that these things are true.

616
00:45:49,242 --> 00:45:53,928
Let me pray for us then before we come up and take communion together.

617
00:45:56,750 --> 00:45:57,870
Father, we praise you.

618
00:45:57,870 --> 00:46:01,672
We thank you that you have not left us as orphans.

619
00:46:02,412 --> 00:46:08,575
It's not that you sent your son to do all things, and then when he was raised and
ascended, we were on our own.

620
00:46:08,655 --> 00:46:10,896
But you poured out the Holy Spirit.

621
00:46:10,896 --> 00:46:22,041
Thank you, Jesus, that you have given us the Spirit as a comforter, as a counselor, as a
witness that you are alive.

622
00:46:22,041 --> 00:46:25,570
We can't see you with our eyes, but the Spirit

623
00:46:25,570 --> 00:46:30,132
Bears witness that you are risen and reigning over all.

624
00:46:30,132 --> 00:46:33,893
We thank you for such great gifts.

625
00:46:34,314 --> 00:46:42,307
And we thank you for the body of Christ, that you don't send us out by ourselves as
freelancers, but you weave us together into a body.

626
00:46:42,307 --> 00:46:55,160
And we can come now together around this table and bear witness that we have one Lord
who's given us one spirit who binds us together in one faith as one church.

627
00:46:55,160 --> 00:46:58,673
To the glory of the one God and Father over all.

628
00:46:58,673 --> 00:47:02,757
We praise you, Father, for all these things in Jesus' name.

629
00:47:02,757 --> 00:47:03,737
Amen.

630
00:47:04,118 --> 00:47:09,362
Thank you for listening to this message from Kingstree Church in Sabina, Ohio.

631
00:47:09,362 --> 00:47:17,970
To see more of the beauty of God in the crucified and risen Jesus Christ, come worship
with us on Sundays at 10 a.m.

632
00:47:17,970 --> 00:47:21,132
or visit our website at Kingstreech.org.