Bible Teaching

Calvary Temple Teaching Library

Seen and Heard Pt.2

It's quite a privilege to be considered the ambassadors of the Kingdom of God. Amen? That's exciting! Think about it! That's our vocation. That's what we've been called to do and gifted to do. God's grace enables us, every day, to properly represent Him in the power of His kingdom. That will help you go to work tomorrow and not be a drag, when you realize what your real vocation is. What we're doing here and the responsibility of it--Ambassadors of Christ. Does that mean we ought to be able to park our cars illegally down in D.C. and not have to pay any tickets? We have diplomatic immunity. The Scripture does say, however, even though we are not of this world, we are still in it and we have to live by the rules and recognize that God's rain falls upon just and the unjust. At the same time, we're here walking in the spirit, AND the Scripture as we saw this morning says Men are to see our good works and to glorify our Father which is in heaven. As Ambassadors of Christ we have to recognize that high calling.

Christ's Ambassadors, the Assemblies of God young people. I think they are still called that. I wonder if they still sing that song? How many of you know the Christ Ambassadors' song? Gary, I know you, Marsha, and Steve, and Janet. Anybody else? Ah-h-h that's it! I can remember Youth Group went from 12 to 35, and was the CAs, (Christ's Ambassadors). It was a great choice. What a great name for a group of young people that would be out representing the Kingdom of God. An organization that was the pre-eminent missionary outreach, in the world, of Christendom. The Ambassadors of Christ. Different ministries like Speed the Light came up. We used to give to Speed the Light. We used to have one of the largest Speed the Light contributions in our Youth Group in California years ago, and one of the largest in the nation. We'd raise money, and what that did was to buy vehicles, and loudspeakers, and multi-media presentations to get the Gospel out. Christ's Ambassadors. I think if we can go into tomorrow realizing that's what the day is really all about, we'll be able to go with an expectation of the power of God and the presence of God in our lives. It just won't be the mundane, "one more day on the job."

Let's turn to Chapter 5 in Matthew and see what the Lord has to say to us this evening concerning that call of God on our life as the ambassadors of the eternal kingdom. We saw in Matthew, 5, that the Scripture says that we are, verses 13-16, "Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, [or his saltiness] wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

As we were sharing this morning, then, the need to be effectual. Our lives, as we come into contact with other people--we're supposed to not walk away and THEN be the same as we encountered them. How many people can come into contact with you and walk away not changed? How many of them can walk away in the same darkness of heart and mind? I don't mean they all have to get saved when we encounter them, but do YOU share some kind of light? Is there some hope that you're able to spread as you bring to them the light of the glorious Gospel? IF the salt has lost its savour, it's good for nothing. What are we contributing to the Kingdom of God? Men are to see our good works and do what? Glorify our Father which is in heaven. You see, what this thing is all about is being out letting people see in our lives, as epistles read of men, What the Spirit of God can do in the life of an individual, What the blood of Jesus is able to accomplish when it infuses us with light and that heart of stone becomes a heart of flesh. When they can contrast individuals who are walking in the light as He is in the light, and we have communion one with another; and the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all of our sins. So sin no longer has dominion over us and we are no longer carnally minded, but we're walking in the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is able to evidence itself in our lives, and the love, and the joy, and the peace, and the gentleness, and the meekness, and the temperance, and the faithfulness, and all of these things begin to show forth and they say, "This isn't like the other earth dwellers that I come into contact with. This isn't even like most of the people that call themselves Christians. It seems to be working in this person's life. I have a question. I have an uncle, my Uncle George, he says he's a Christian. I don't see any difference in him. All he does is talk bad about the Church and everybody down there. He lives the same way we live and I don't see any distinction. There's something different about you and good ol' Uncle George."

I think some of us here have lost sight of how different, not only we should be, but really some of us are. We've lost sight of the excitement of that and the expectation of even being more peculiar in their eyes as God sets us apart and begins to order our steps and gives us supernatural wisdom. We apply the wisdom of the kingdom, and its foolishness in their eyes, and yet God always makes us win. Don't you know that it ticks them off? We just keep winning, praise God. Even when we lose, we win because they kill us and we go out with a smile saying, "Father, don't lay it to their charge for they don't know what they do;" and it echoes in their ears for the rest of their lives, and you win, praise God. That is what being a Christian is all about. How different are we? Or, are we just another religion?

Did you see on the news the great Baha'i Temple that was just finished? What an immense property and monument this Baha'i Temple is! What makes us different than the Baha'i and the Buddhist, and the Muslim? Are you just another religion when you walk on the job and because of that everybody is treated the same? Or, when you walk into their presence as the salt of the earth, is there a flavor of life that is added? The Kingdom of God, beloved, isn't meat and drink, it's righteousness, it's peace, and it's joy in the Holy Ghost. We're different than these folks. These people are desperate. These people are lonely. These people are frightened, and we have the joy of the Lord that is our strength. We have the peace that passes all understanding. Or, maybe you're not that different! Have you taken a survey of your own life and asked, "Am I truly salt? Is there savour in my life? Do I add flavoring? Do I add some spice to this thing? Do I bring in life?" We also know that salt was there for a preservation. "Am I preserving the righteousness? Am I preserving the holiness of the Name of Jesus, the sanctity of the infallible Word of God? Am I somebody that is contending for the faith?" Are we the salt of the earth? You see, that's what it's all about!

There is a great absence if we're not doing our job. There's no one there to contend for the faith if you're not being the salt of the earth. There is nobody there to love unconditionally if you're not the salt of the earth, the light of the world. In a day where everybody is looking from a socialistic perspective--and we've talked so many times about the spirit of humanism, and the fact that there is the total acceptance now--not only acceptance, but taught in our schools situational ethics, that there are no absolutes. You stand up in society as an individual whose going to stand for absolutes. It is the light of the world. It's bringing them the wisdom of God and it's contrasting, as we just finished our last series, the wisdom of this world that's foolishness. Where are we in our representation of the Kingdom of God? The Scripture makes it very clear that when you and I are moving in this light that is without restraint, the bushel having been removed from our lives, that the thing men are supposed to see is good works. A better way to say that is proper representation of Jesus. Not a works mentality, but a working out of Christlikeness.

As we look at the last little part of the review, as we looked at the triune principles of the believer and what our triune responsibilities are. We saw that it was to represent the image of Jesus and to be conformed to His image. That's our number one responsibility as Christians. Number one, absolute, first responsibility, is Christlikeness. It's not evangelism, it's not discipleship, it's not community, it's Christlikeness; because the Scripture says that's the one thing that we've been predestined too. We are predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ. So that is working in us, and we realize that that is our first responsibility, and that He is the first love. We saw, then, the responsibility of discipleship and the commitment to the body of Christ. By faith being placed into the body as it pleases Him. Then, we saw the third aspect of our responsibility to evangelize the world. To go into all the world and preach the Gospel. That is what we want to emphasize in these next couple of sessions. The proclamation of the Gospel just can't be in word, but it has to be in power, the apostle said. I'm not ashamed of the Gospel, it's the power of God unto salvation.

So we're going to talk about the power of this message and the power of that name of Jesus; and there have to be ambassadors, representatives, vessels, that have been made one with that power for it to be truly effectual. Greatest case in point--we're all very familiar with it, aren't we? When the seven sons of Sceva came up to the demonized individual and said, "In the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, come out." The demons responded and said, "We know Jesus, we know Paul, who are you?" So the question that we want to ask tonight is: Who are you? Who are you as an ambassador of Jesus Christ? Are you tonight an ambassador full of the power and the anointing of God? When you speak the Word, is the Word coming forth with life and power to where it's like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? The Word of God in your mouth is like a consuming fire. People recognize that! When you talk to them and you leave, they are not the same; they've encountered the resurrected Jesus, they've heard the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and they say about you, "Never has a man spoken like that. I've never heard anybody talk like this before. He just doesn't seem like your average Mormon, your average Jehovah Witness. This person talks like he's been with Jesus." That is where we left off this morning in Acts. Turn back to the book of Acts, and lets pick up where we ended this morning.

It said they took note that these people had been with Jesus. Just common folk, and yet now there is a supernatural power that is evidencing itself in their lives. Have you been with Jesus? You see, if the anointing of God that is going to manifest in our lives as witnesses, if we're truly going to be ambassadors of Jesus Christ, you're going to have to spend some time with Him. Not just reading about Him; hanging out with Him! In the process of that, coming to the place that we were emphasizing in our last teaching, becoming absolutely dependent upon Him; because you're never going to be more dependent than when you're out in ministry combating with principalities and powers. You're never going to be more dependent, man, than when you just get ready to reach over and lay your hands upon that blind person and expect Jesus to open their eyes, because you're not going to do it in your own ability. Amen? You talk about dependence. You talk about representing the power of God in the simplistic faith that we've been called to; and the very fact that most of us don't try to cast out demons and didn't I try to lay hands upon the blind, the deaf, and the lame is because there isn't that childlike faith and that dependence that we profess to believe. We can bring them proper doctrine. Pretty well studied and pretty well taught, but where is the power of this message? Where does it come from? We saw in the Book of Acts, Chapter one--let turn over there and take just a second in Acts, Chapter one. You see, when Jesus was raised from the dead and He visited His disciples, it says He breathed upon them and they received the Spirit and we believe that that was the first time that men were truly regenerated, as the Spirit of God entered into their lives and they were illuminated and hearts of flesh manifested in their lives. Yet that was not sufficient, because Jesus said, Now what I want you to do, now that you understand the fruit of the Kingdom of God, that that you were even out preaching and yet hadn't fully experienced--you need to do one thing. I want you to go to Jerusalem and I want you to tarry and wait for the promise.

Chapter 1:5, "For John truly baptized with water..." Red ink, this is Jesus talking. "...but wait for the promise..." verse 4 said. "For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. When they therefore were come together, they asked him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?" He said, It's not for you to understand. Don't look to leave, look to overcome. I'm coming on the day appointed; and when I come and the trumpet sounds, you're going to be changed in a moment and the twinkling of an eye; but until that time I want you to live as ambassadors. I want you to live as overcomers. I want you to know my power. I want My kingdom to be a light set upon a hill. Don't hide it out. I want you to show this lifestyle of new creatures. "Behold, how they love one another." If you're going to do that you're going to need some power, you're going to need some infusing. You said, "I thought regeneration was enough." That is the recreation, old things pass away and all things become new.

You know, there is a lot of argument about this. Many of our good Presbyterian and Baptist friends will argue and say, there doesn't need to be a subsequent work. Regeneration is sufficient. When you're born again you are filled with the Holy Spirit. What they say is correct. You can't be partially born again. You're not partially filled with the Spirit. Baptists doesn't have the Holy Spirit partially filling them, where His feet are hanging out their ears and He's trying to get all the way in and hasn't quite made it in there yet. That's not what we're visualizing. The Sprit has taken up residence with him. What is this baptism in the Holy Spirit? What is this infusing and infilling, this empowering? I want you to begin to understand the baptism in the Holy Spirit in that way. It's an empowering, it's an enduing, from on High. When you're born again, when you are regenerated, you are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Okay? He's in you! No question. What about this enduing? What about this baptism? What about this filling that is spoken of in the Scriptures, that Jesus is mandating at this particular time? He said, It's not for you to know when I'm going to come and set up the kingdom; but I'm not leaving you comfortless, as I told you in John 14. This is the promise of the Father. I want you to go and I want you to wait, and I want you to expect the fulfillment of that promise. Verse 8, "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. And when he had spoken these things, [the Scripture says] while they beheld, he was taken up...." in their very presence. How many of you know the last words of an individual are usually very important? He said, "Where I'm going, you can't go right now; but I'm going to send the Spirit, and He's going to dwell in you. He's going to bring all things that I've said to your remembrance. All that my purpose and my will, all that has been revealed by the Father, I will bring to your remembrance at the times that you need it, if you receive this enduing. If you'll receive this ordination of the Holy Spirit."

There is a distinction between the regeneration and the ordaining, or baptism. The infusing. The anointing. You can call it whatever you want. You can try to put up any type of an example that helps you understand. The one thing that we do know in the Scripture, very clearly, it is a distinct work to regeneration into the Holy Spirit indwelling within us--living in our hearts.

So, it is important that we understand and realize what God is doing in our lives. The Scripture says that they then gathered together in verse 14, "These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication...." There have been a number of you that has been seeking the infilling of the Holy Spirit and haven't been filled with the Holy Spirit at this time. Some are seeking more diligently than others. Others have taken the approach, "Well, I prayed, God didn't do anything, so I'm just standing in faith, praise God." Some of you have taken the evangelical mentality and their approach to things like our Baptist and Presbyterian brothers and say, "Hey, if God wants to fill me, here I am." And, they expect God to body slam them and fill them with the Spirit against their will. "Well, not against my will. I'm willing. If God want to do this, here I am!" Totally contrary to Scripture. God said, go, wait, prepare yourself, expect, seek, and you will find. How diligent have you been in your pursuit of the baptism? How many of you have even taken this approach in saying, "Do you know what would be great? I need to get with a couple of us who are not Spirit filled. Do you know what we need to do? We need to get together. We need to keep gathering for this purpose. Where there are two or three gathered in His name, He is there in their midst. Let's get together and pray again tonight and lets seek God for the infilling of the Holy Spirit. Let's just get together and worship and honor the Lord. Let's ask Him to fill us and empower us that we might be greater witnesses on the job, and that we might be better husbands and better representatives as salt and light. What is the main reason that we are to gather? What is the main reason that we are to seek the Holy Spirit? Because He told us to! He said, "It's the promise of the Father, and I expect you to seek Me and when you do, you will find Me. So, these all gathered together Verse 14 says, "These all continued with one accord in prayer...." They continued--and they are seeking God.

The Scripture says over in Chapter 2:1, "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come...." Now, what is the day of Pentecost? It's not, "Okay, we're going to seek God;" and the Lord says, "Okay, you have to wait fifty days because I want to call you Pentecostals after you become Spirit filled. I want to be sure you're called Pentecostals; so, you're going to have to wait the fifty days." The celebration of the Feast of Pentecost was the celebration of the first fruits. Now, what has just been established here? The Kingdom of God! Go preach the Kingdom, saying the Kingdom of God is at hand. Matthew 10 and Luke 9 and 10. The Kingdom of God is at hand. God's kingdom is getting ready to be fixed into this planet. The Kingdom was visible in the person of Jesus and now it was being made visible in the expression of the Church as He breathed on them and the Spirit came in and they were recreated. Now these epistles read of men, now these that are members in particular of the body of Christ, this is the Kingdom of God, the Tabernacle of God. So on the day of Pentecost, first fruits, it's very obvious of what's taking place here. He is enabling them, empowering them to bring forth a harvest. Not only are they now the first fruits of the Church, the Kingdom of God, but they were the first true ambassadors that were empowered to bring forth that fruit, and be the representatives to bring about the fulfilling of the Law that Jesus made reference to.

Here they are on the day of Pentecost. They were gathered together again as the Scripture says in Verse one, in one accord; and they were in one place. I think that there is something about seeking the Lord in community and praying for one another, and encouraging one another. I can remember, as I shared with you in times past, the first time I ever prayed and was believing God to fill me with the Holy Spirit. I can remember the first time I ever heard about the Holy Spirit. I had only been a Christian, at that time for a few days. Then they began to talk about the Holy Spirit. I said, "Yes, I want that, too, praise God!" I want to tell you, if there is something else besides what I have, I want it. This is good stuff, being born again. Being saved was cool. I'll tell you what, I shared with you before. I had one of those road to Damascus type encounters. I'm talking about, bless God, I was different! The sky was bluer, the birds sang better. It was a transformation of what happened in my life. It wasn't just a change in philosophy. There was a death of the old man. They began to talk about the infilling of the Holy Spirit and the empowering from on High. I said, "Yeah, I want that, man!" I remember going down to the alter in North East Assembly of God in Fresno, and well meaning people began to pray for me. Bless God, some of the old time Pentecostals. I mean dear God, they would just dance the glory down. They would dance till their glory knots unraveled and fell to the floor. You have to remember that a lot of these thought it was holy not to cut their hair. They would just roll up these glory buns. I mean they had a wad of hair, dear God. If you ever got under it, it would take them a week to dig you out!

They began to pray. People were down there. I can still remember like it was yesterday. I can remember going to pray and just asking God to fill me with the Holy Spirit. People were putting their hands on me and praying and just believing God. Some were literally--this is what was going on. Some was saying, "Oh God, bless him, Lord. Fill him." Some were saying, "Lord, anoint this young man." I can still remember there were two different people one was saying, "Just turn loose brother. Just turn loose." The other was saying, "Just hold on, brother. Just hold on!" I thought, "This is going to be a miracle if I can turn loose and hold on at the same time." I can remember praying and seeking God. It was one of those hot days in Fresno, and even through the air conditioning I was soaking wet. You could take my jacket and just wrung the thing out. That was back in the days when they wore jackets to church--the olden days, in sport coats and ties. You could have just wrung that thing--I mean, I soaked through that thing. I prayed for hours down on the alter. Nothing happened, but I got wet! That was actually my first baptism. I was sprinkled from within to immersion. Fortunately, it was just a couple of weeks later that a teacher came though and began to teach on the baptism in the Holy Spirit. He began to share the principles that are here in the Book of Acts. That this promise of the Father is unto you and unto your children and unto all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. It's a promise. That it's our Father's good pleasure to give us the kingdom, and if we asked for the Spirit, we weren't going to get a serpent; we were going to get the dove, the anointing from on high. Then he went through the passages, and I'm not going to go through all of those tonight, most likely; but he went through all of the passages that very clearly showed that they would lay hands upon them and they would receive the Holy Ghost and speak in other tongues as the Spirit of God gave them utterance. He emphasized one part of that, he said, "You have to understand, they spoke as the Spirit gave the utterance." He said what happens is that to many people want God to overwhelm them like the Baptists that we were talking about--just jump them, grab their mouth and bang it up and down and start making a new language come out. But they spoke, and simultaneously as they stepped out to speak, just as Peter stepped out into the boat into the water in faith when Jesus said, "Come," as they spoke the words were there. Praise God. In faith they began to declare the glory of God. The Scripture says, Those who speak in an unknown tongue speak not unto men, but unto God and gives thanks well. When you're praying in the Spirit, you're speaking and giving thanks to God and you're praising in a heavenly language. It's so important, beloved, that you can supernaturally honor God.

How many of you have run into times when you just don't feel like praising God? How many of you have ever run out of words when you're trying to praise God? I was sharing the other day, they were talking about being bilingual. I said, "Yeah, I am." I said, "English is my second language. It is. I'm much more proficient in tongues than I am in English." My vocabulary is not as limited as most of yours, because I make words up. You just know the ones that are in the book--I make them up! I've got more than you do. The ability, when you run out of words and your mind loses it ability, to grasp the glory of God and be thankful for the things that eyes have not seen and ears have not heard, and it hasn't entered into the heart of man the things that God has prepared for those that love Him. In the Spirit you can give thanks well, praise God, and worship Him. The Bible (1 Corinthians 14) says that he that prays in an unknown tongue edifies himself also. Not only are we giving thanks well, but we are edifying our self. We are building our self up in the most holy faith. This is the refreshing, the Scripture says, praying in the Holy Ghost. Do you ever feel weary? Do you ever feel beat down? I want to tell you that there is no greater refreshing than praying in the Holy Ghost. As the Spirit of God begins to move inside of you and everything that is going on in your body that's aching and all of the things that are in your mind that are weighing you down, they are bypassed, and right out of your heart you are able to fellowship with God and worship Him and speak words of faith. You walk away with the same physical feelings and the same weights that were there, but you're refreshed and renewed in the Holy Spirit.

You see, the problem is that there are a lot of us here that don't have that. There are some of us here that might even be able to pray in what appears to be tongues, but there is no evidence of the Holy Spirit living in us. There is no greater dependence that we've taken on in trusting the Lord in our lives. There is no greater power--"for you shall receive power after the Holy Ghost has come upon you" to be witnesses. There is not the fulfilling of the purpose here of the first fruits of Pentecost. So what you have to conclude is, some of you are great mimics. Maybe you need to be filled with the Holy Spirit. You've heard about the baptism in the Holy Spirit; you've heard people pray in tongues and you were able to mimic that. Let me ask you something: Where is the fruit? Where is the power? Where is the holiness that comes? Where is the transformation that takes this meek individual who was backed down by this little woman so he could stand around the fire and be warm with all of the deserters, and then he stands up with his neck on the line and makes a declaration; and they are amazed at his power and boldness. What was the difference? It's the baptism in the Holy Spirit. They were all there in one accord and in one place. I'd encourage you to begin to believe God, those who has never been empowered from on high. Those of you who have never been filled with the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues. I'd encourage you right now to believe God to fill you tonight before you leave this place. If not, begin to commit in your heart and say, "I'm going to pray and I will not, I will not back off this thing. I'm going to seek God. It's His promise. It's unto me, to my children, and to all who are afar off, even as to many as the Lord our God shall call. I'm called of God, the promise is mine." It's your Father's good pleasure. If you, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more does your Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him. John, indeed, baptized with water but there is one coming and He will baptize you in the Holy Ghost, John said. There is one coming after me who is greater than I am, and He's going to baptize you. You see, Jesus is the baptizer. As you pray say, "Lord, just baptize me in the Holy Spirit. Fill me with your presence and your power. Let the promise be fulfilled in me. I want to be an ambassador. I want to move in power of good works that men can see them and glorify my Father."

In obedience they gathered and prayed. The Scripture says, "And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." So here they are, a people now filled with the Holy Spirit. What is it that He said was going to happen? Acts 1:8, I want you to go and I want you to tarry. I'm going to send the promise of the Father and "...ye shall receive [What?] power...." We're not seeking the power, we're seeking the promise. The power is the result. When it's really manifested, you will notice a distinct difference in your life. An ability to die to self that wasn't there before. An ability to represent Him that wasn't there before. This power began to manifest in the lives of these believers.

We saw it in this morning's session as we were looking at Peter and the others as they went out into the streets and began to proclaim the message. In Verse 38 of this second chapter, Peter then speaking calls them into repentance so that each of them would be baptized in the name of Jesus for the remission of their sins, and he says--look at this. Do you remember when we were talking about the title for this message "Seen and Heard." I can't help but speak the things that I've seen and heard. What did Peter just see? What was it that was real in his life. What had he just encountered? The infilling of the Holy Spirit. He tells them, "You need to repent. You need to accept the free gift and the power of the name of Jesus Christ." Look what he tells them they shall receive, verse 38, "...Ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." This fulfillment of the promise to Israel, the ability to be endued with power from on high, to fulfill the harvest of Pentecost; and where are we today? A generation that still professes to speak in tongues, but where is the power? We hold to a doctrine. Where is the fruit? So, as we begin to examine our lives as ambassadors of Christ and we say, "Am I properly representing the Kingdom?" It's going to be represented by a people who are walking in absolute dependence, not in what we know. The original sin, as we just finished our last series, the original sin was knowledge, the knowledge of good and evil, the ability to become independent; and so many of us today depending upon our own intellect, depending upon medical science, depending upon whatever else man has fabricated and tried to attach God to it; but we've been called to come apart and be a separate, holy people. We've been called to be a people who know the ability to speak the Name of Jesus, lay hands on the sick, cast out devils. Freely you have received, freely give, praise God.

Jesus I know, Paul I know, who are you. We have the doctrine, who are you? When you get up in the morning, do you strike terror into the kingdom of darkness? "Oh, no! He's awake again!" Who are you? Peter was a new man. Peter began to share with an anointing and a power that he hadn't previously known. He preaches this great sermon of chapter two. Then into chapter three we find him, again, going up into the Temple to worship. How many times did they pass this lame man? As the Holy Spirit is ordering their course and they are going up to the Temple to pray, all of a sudden they're different, they're full of the Spirit. I wonder how many people we've walked by that needed ministry and we didn't have the wherewithal in us to give it to them, so why would God even speak; but now he says, "Here is somebody in need. You don't have any silver and you don't have any gold, but what I just gave you is sufficient." "...Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk." Beloved, the baptism in the Holy Spirit is not a doctrine, it's a lifestyle. It is a necessity to represent the Kingdom. They didn't have it before, and now God is starting to speak to them. There are a lot of us who want God to speak to us, but we haven't been empowered. We can't hear, because the receiver is the Holy Spirit. God is transmitting, we need the receiver. A lot of people are reading intellectually--reading the Scriptures. We need the Scriptures, that sure foundation, it is the more sure word of prophesy. Everything has to be compared to it; but beloved, there's a receiver that some of us need if we're going to properly represent Him as Ambassadors of Christ. So we understand the miraculous healing, and the power of God that manifested. Peter rises, again, in this new courage of verse 15 and says, You are the ones that "...killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses."

We've been talking about sharing the Gospel. We've been talking about being the salt of the world and the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Here Peter says, "Look, I'm one of the witnesses. I've experienced the resurrected Christ. I haven't heard about it. I've encountered Him." Paul encountered Him. Who are you? This boldness began to rise up in Peter, who had been put down by that little girl earlier. He said, "You all need to repent," verse 19, "and be converted so that your sins can be blotted out. Then there will come a refreshing from the presence of God." What a difference it's going to make in our lives.

What we talked about this morning in the session this morning about--how do we as believers, now, living a society of apathy, stir up the gift that is in us that Paul spoke to Timothy about. We talked about how to get that bushel off, didn't we? We said to go out into the world, speak the name of Jesus and they'll knock it off. He is the Rock of Offense. The question that we have to ask is, "Are we prepared for that?" As we finish this morning's session and we left out of Second Timothy, we were asking that question. Are you ready to be afflicted for the Gospel's sake? The pure unadulterated representation of the lordship of Jesus Christ. Do you want to know who is going to persecute the worst? Professed Christians! They're going to say, "You're too zealous!" "You're too extreme!" "This isn't the message that we're hearing from everybody else! The message of the hour is a user-friendly Jesus." He is the Rock of Offense, beloved! If you bring Him as the way, the truth, and the life there is no other name under heaven where by men can be saved; I want to tell you, it's going to offend folks. Are you ready to be afflicted? You see, getting filled with the Holy Spirit is more than speaking in tongues. It's seeing signs and wonders done in the name of the Holy Child Jesus, then having people not like that and say, "Look, I want you to tune this down. I don't want you talking about Jesus on the job anymore." You have to ask the question, "Is it better for us to obey man, or God," verse 19 says. "...Whether it be right in the sight of God to harken unto you more than unto God, judge ye." This is the message of this series that we're in. Verse 20, "For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard."

Is that for real? Is that in your life? I've shared with you before a testimony how I've gone different places and said, "Do you know what you need to do? You just need to keep your big mouth shut!" I'd go to these preachers meetings where all the preachers would come together and lie about how many people would come to Church on Sunday. You think I'm kidding--that's exactly what happened. I told one guy, one time, "I'll tell you what--I'm so tired of all your number counting." I said, "Let me give you some advice." He said, "What's that?" I said, "You're so in to this thing. Why don't you stop counting noses and start counting ears and you will have twice as big a number." So everybody would come together and doing all of this stuff. I'd always say something and everybody would get mad. I purposed, "I'll tell you what, I am not saying anything. I'm just keeping my mouth shut! That is all there is to it. No matter what happens, I won't say anything." So, we were in this particular meeting and everybody had something to say. The leader of the meeting turned to me and said, "Well?" I said, "I don't have anything to say." He said, "You always have something to say." Jeremiah 20:9, "Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing and I could not stay."

Can I ask you something tonight? Do you have a fire in your bones? I said I'm not going to speak of Him anymore. The fact of the matter is beloved, when you've been filled with the Holy Spirit, you can't help but speak the things that you have seen and heard. I'm not taking about the things that we've seen and heard in man's kingdom, I'm talking about the things you have seen and heard at the throne of God. I'm talking about the things where that voice rises up behind you, that still small voice, and says "This is the way, walk in it!" I want to tell you something: When you hear from God, you can't keep your mouth shut!

We look at what they were trying to do back here in the Book of Acts. They were trying to shut them up; but chapter 4, verse 20 says, "For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard. So when they had further threatened them...." They went away rejoicing. When the brethren heard it and the rest had heard the opportunity they had to proclaim the Gospel, verse 24 says, "And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God...." and the worship began to ascend into the heavens. Look what happened! As they worshiped God, because of the boldness and the opportunity that He had given them, verse 31, "...the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness." Jesus I know, Paul I know, who are you? As an ambassador of Christ, do we speak the word of God with boldness? Are we there representing Him without shame? He said if we were ashamed of Him, He would be ashamed of us. They were of one heart and one mind; and with great power, verse 33 says, they gave witness of the resurrection; and great grace was upon them all. What a blessing.

Into their midst Ananias and Sapphira come. Here is a people who had all things in common. A couple of guys come into the midst of them and said, "I'm part of the group. We've given all that we had, too." Have you given all? Have you made the covenant to seek God with all of your heart? Is that the impression that you are giving, and yet you're holding back some? You see, the admonition of the Apostle to them was when it was in your power, you could do whatever you wanted with it. You didn't have to give it; but what you can't do is to come into here and say you have, and make like your part of us when you're not! It's dangerous to lie to the Holy Ghost. I wonder how dangerous it is, then, to lie and say you're full of the Holy Ghost when you're not. I'm not talking about going around lying to us, I talking about lying to yourself, because it will evidence itself in the fruit.

We know the story, don't we? We know how the judgement of God came, they die and this passage manifests. This is really kind of neat, and it goes along with the proclamation of the Gospel. Chapter 5:12 - 14, "And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people...And of the rest durst no man join himself to them...And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women." Insomuch that they brought forth the sick, laid them in the streets that Peter's shadow might fall on them. Those that were vexed, verse 16, with unclean spirits were healed, every one. What is it that I am emphasizing? There has to be a distinction between the Ananias's and Sapphiras and those who are going to speak the Word in power and see the signs and wonders. There can't be a feigned giving of our all. The one thing that is going to happen is this beloved, when you get people together that are fully seeking and serving God, one thing that will happen, the rest will--the durst, the others that were like them, Ananias and Sapphira--will not add themselves. Yet multitudes were added. There is a great remnant out there of people who want to be filled with the Spirit and know the reality of the Gospel. There has to be a contrast. Somebody has to be a light in the world. Somebody has to show forth the savor of absolute dependence.

As we finish up with this session for tonight, look what he goes on to say. Here the power of God is manifesting. The sick are being healed. Those that were demonized were being delivered. What do we do today? We build hospitals and sanitariums. "Silver and gold have I none, but here is a good doctor. I just happen to have a card with me." You shall be endued from on High. Power to be witnesses unto Me. These signs shall follow them that believe in My name. They shall lay hands on the sick, they shall recover. They'll cast out devils. You see, we've talked about these three aspects of ministry, and we as a fellowship, for the last five to six years, have emphasized the first two and left the third one with emphasis. We've emphasized conforming to the image of Jesus Christ. Holiness. We've emphasized body ministry, care, and love for one another. In these last number of years we've lacked in this area of the proclamation of the Gospel. Without shame, understanding it is the power of God unto salvation. I believe that the Holy Spirit wants us, as Paul admonished Timothy, to stir up the gift that is in us. Not to leave the others undone, but to realize that those are the foundational principles that will cause us to be able to affect this third emphasis of the Church without getting caught up in self-exaltation, spiritual pride, religious works; but we can begin to go out in a true humility and a true love and a passion for the broken, lost, and unlovely. There is not a looking down or a despising of those who happen to use a doctor or walking in an area of understanding that might be less that what some of us might have. Then we've become real salt and we begin to affect them by our lifestyle as epistles read of men. We begin to affect them the same way that the disciples affect these in chapter 5. Let's finish up with this for tonight. When this ministry began to effect the city, verse 17 says, "Then the high priest rose up....and were filled with indignation." What I've found over the years is that when people begin to trust God, usually the religious hierarchy does rise up and they are offended. They feel threatened. "We're in charge and we don't do things that way." The question is, are we to obey God or men? That's the issue! And they said unto them, "I thought we told you a couple of chapters back..." That's not in there. "Didn't we tell you a couple of chapters back that you couldn't teach in Jesus' name anymore and you have--" Say the next word with me. Verse 28. Sorry I lost you. Chapter 5:28, "...Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? And, behold, ye have [what? Filled. Say it again:] filled...." They didn't obey them at all, did they? Now they "...filled Jerusalem with this doctrine...Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, [verse 29] We ought to obey God rather than men." That seems to be becoming a theme, doesn't it? "We ought to obey God rather than men." Chapter 4:19, "...Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. For we cannot be speak the things which we have seen and heard."

With the religious tolerance emphasis in our country today--it's not far--you will be forbidden on the job, in many areas of the public arena, to speak in this Name. This plan our President is trying to push is disastrous to the Gospel. So many Christians are excited and wanting to embrace this plan. All it does is dilute the distinction between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of the world. The dependence upon God. One of the things that's involved in this is they want to give money to the churches, instead of secular organizations, to do secular things. Because of that you're bound, and you are not allowed--as it is written at this moment, you are not allowed in this particular application to evangelize or to proselytize. Well, what have we been called to do? I want to tell you what to do with your money. Keep it, you're going to need it! The poor you're ever going to have with you, but there is a remnant that live as the citizens of the kingdom God whose source is Jehovah Jireh who have been young and now they are old and have never seen the righteous forsaken or their seek begging bread. Beloved, He has called us to be a peculiar people. You fill Jerusalem with your doctrine. Verse 32, Do you understand that we're here to proclaim the resurrection of Jesus, the Prince of Life whom you killed? "And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him." The Holy Ghost given to those who obey. If you have hearts to go into all of the world, He will fill you tonight with His Spirit and you will receive power from on High. Let's stand before Him tonight.

I shared with you about 25 minutes ago that you needed to begin to believe God to fill you with the Holy Spirit--those of you who have never been filled with the Holy Spirit. We've seen the purpose. We've seen the process tonight. "One coming," John said, "and He will baptize you with the Holy Ghost." Jesus is the baptizer. "And they spoke as the Spirit gave them words to speak, and they laid hands on them and they received the Holy Ghost." The way I was filled with the Holy Spirit, nobody laid hands on me. The guy who was teaching this doctrine spoke this word, and as Peter spoke they were filled. As soon as he quoted that passage, the Spirit of God came upon me and I began to pray in other tongues as the Spirit gave utterance. "I thank God that I pray with tongues more than you all." People are apologizing for praying in tongues today. Let's not do it in public. Let's not offend anybody. It's something that is to be done in your prayer closet. You can't find it in the prayer closet in the Word of God. It's in the believers' meetings.

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