Church Of Irressistable Influence Series

Here now we turn our attention to a most important event, the beginning of the Church, the Body of Christ. Acts 2 is the most misunderstood Scripture in all of the New Testament and for good reason. Instead of bringing eyes focused on our Lord, we bring our denominational values and beliefs into it. Today we will examine the Scriptures, and study the content of these verses from Acts 2:1-13. It is important to note here the symbology that is here used. Fire and wind are two very important factors that we will here look at briefly. Often people focus upon the use of tongues, while it is strictly a gift, no evidence is giving in the New Testament as any other as evidence of one’s salvation. What people most often confuse with baptism in the Holy Spirit is in fact the filling of the Holy Spirit. Paul in Ephesians told us to be filled with the Spirit not drunk with wine. This is important because if we say that we are baptized into Christ as we are that means that we are members that our flesh has passed through death into new life in Christ and as a result only of our faith in Christ which would be the proper application of the New Testament rather than saying that tongues is evidence of that very work of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus. Yet at the same time the focus has to be upon the Cross, not upon our human works or achievement. Tongues is a gift from the Lord. Many conservative theologians would like to snuff out this gift and say that it is not for today. Among them is John Macarthur a man whom I’ve studied for a very long time. Yet to deny that tongues is a gift for today is like saying that God still isn’t speaking prophetically to His people. You could even take this line of logic even further to say that God is still speaking to His people, still using the spiritual gifts, so why then would God not still be using the gift of tongues? I don’t see anywhere in the New Testament that the gift of tongues stopped being of use or benefit to the Corporate Body of Christ.

Yet there are many different forms of tongues. The most often we associate with is the tongues Paul speaks of in 1st Corinthians the great treasure it was viewed as having. However tongues was also coming among the pagan Roman Empire and Greeks as well. The only difference between pagan tongues and Spirit tongues is does it bring honor and glory, proclaiming Jesus as the Risen Savior and Lord? All else fails and pails in comparison to the standard by which those who do speak in tongues are expected to meet. Sadly many view tongues as a bad thing, as the spiritual gifts as a bad thing not for today. Jesus addressed this that the Spirit of truth would fall upon us in John 14:7, “He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world at large cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you do, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.” I therefore have a hard time when someone tells me that the Spirit gifts are not in operation today for the same reasons as someone telling me that God does not speak to a person. If it is the primary purpose of the Holy Spirit to draw the world to Christ and to bring honor to His name, then how can many conservative Christians then say that God is not operating in the Spirit gifts when they themselves by saying that God is speaking to them believe that God isn’t still operating prophetically and apostolically through people in today’s day and age? The reason why I feel is a lack of understanding in the things of God. The truth of the matter is that God is still very much alive and well and is speaking through those who do not put a harness upon His Spirit.

1st Thessalonians 5:19, “19Do not stifle the Holy Spirit.” Instead of being the Church of irresistible influence, the church today is among those listed in Revelation, dead. We cannot be lukewarm if we desire to win souls and to bring together in love other ministries and nullify the dark places so that they can be brought to the light. Often when people hear of the Gospel the first time it is described as a romantic experience, the first loves they have even been called by the classical writers of Christianity. Yet it is these first loves that people experience when they first come in contact with the Gospel of Christ truly experiencing the power of the Spirit of which the Apostles themselves experienced as they turned from doubt to Christ, from being with Him, to being filled of Him and used of Him for eternal purposes, not earthly purposes. Have you experienced the first loves of Christ? Today we will examine Acts 2:1-13. It is my sincere prayer that you will go away from this experience changed, and see the Spirit for exactly what it is, a Spirit being that gives believers the power to preach and testify of Christ’s Word and glory.