Title Let's Expect Great Things
Contents
Let's expect something great
Acts 2:22-47
Text Commentary/ Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and was preaching the gospel. A few weeks ago, Peter was a coward who denied Jesus, but now he has courage. The audience before Peter were those who had seen the death of Jesus. But Peter preached before them, and the Holy Spirit had already begun his work.
Question 1: What is the center of the gospel? (verses 22-36)
Answer: (1) Jesus Christ of Nazareth (verse 22). Jesus Christ of Nazareth is a very mysterious blend of the humanity and divinity of Jesus. It is impossible for human reason to believe that He is a perfect God and a perfect man. That is why the Holy Spirit makes this known and enables us to believe. We must believe that Jesus, who was born of the Virgin Mary, was conceived by the Holy Spirit. Because he had to become a human being in order to atone for the sins of mankind.
(2) Jesus died on the cross to atone for the sins of mankind (verse 23). The fact that Jesus died on the cross was also an event that was fulfilled according to the will of God. Targets are signs. It is to prove that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. The signs come when the Lord believes in the One who died on the cross to atone for the sins of mankind. Repentance takes place.
⑶ Jesus in the empty tomb (verses 24-32). God began the amazing work of raising Jesus of Nazareth (verse 24). If you look at the history of Christianity, life has always come from this death.
Question 2: What are we Christians? (Verses 32-39)
Answer: (1) We Christians are witnesses of the gospel (verse 32). When we preach Jesus, the Holy Spirit comes upon us powerfully (verse 33).
(2) Jesus was resurrected and ascended to heaven and was seated at the right hand of God and sent the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the Comforter. The Comforter is the Spirit who helps Christians by our side. He teaches and reminds us (John 14:26). He is in us to counsel and comfort (John 14:16-18). The Holy Spirit prophesies on our behalf and mediates our affairs to God on our behalf (Romans 8:26). The Holy Spirit testifies of Jesus (John 15:26). When the experience of the Holy Spirit simply ends, it ends as an experience and there is no fruit. But the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the anointing of the Holy Spirit, is the flow of the Holy Spirit through me. Influence others through me. It will be used as a channel of God's blessing. So, in verse 33, Peter uses the expression “the outpouring of the Holy Spirit”. In the faith that our church is a community of the Holy Spirit, what we should seek is the anointing of the Holy Spirit (Luke 4:18-19).
⑶ Because the anointing of the Holy Spirit overflowed in Peter's sermon, the power of the gospel was revealed (verses 37-42). The anointing of the Holy Spirit revived the consciences of men (verse 37). The Holy Spirit points out sin (verse 38). The gospel of repentance is a blessing given to all who believe (verse 39).
Question 3: What must those who hear the Gospel and receive the Holy Spirit do? (Verses 40-41)
A: You must devote yourself to the gospel. Devotion is the separation from the world and coming to God. Who is dedicated to God? Those who seek the work of the Holy Spirit (John 14:12-13). The work of the Holy Spirit finally takes place not only in the individual, but also in the church community.
Question 4: What is the foundation of the church? (verses 42-47)
Answer: (1) The foundation of the church is the gospel and the work of the Holy Spirit. After the three thousand were converted, a communion of the gospel arose in the apostle's teaching (v. 42). In verses 43-45, the appearance of beautiful fellowship appears (verses 43-45). There is joy in fellowship. There was an enlargement of communion (vv. 46-47).
(2) The history of sharing is great (verses 43-45). Isn't this a phenomenon found without exception in countries pursuing socialism or communism today? All socialist countries and communist systems aiming at distributive justice on this earth have collapsed without exception. The Bible speaks of the principle of sharing, not distribution.
Decision message:
We can dream of great things in the work of the Holy Spirit. Otherwise we have no hope. The souls who repented and returned to Peter's sermon, the things they saved the kingdom of God while establishing the church community, this is the cell community our church dreams of. Cell community is a movement to return to God. We have the same ability. Because we rejoice in the Holy Spirit. Jesus was delighted to come to the world inhabited by humans and gave us the courage to go out and preach around the world by challenging us. We must be filled with the Holy Spirit with the Gospel. Only then can you achieve great things.