The Baptism Of The Holy Spirit

And a secret that at times like she, we'd be true.

Acts chapter 2. And I apologize up front for this illustration. It's not meant to offend anyone. It's meant to drive home a point. So there was a Texan and a Southern Californian and a Seattle native. No Oklahomans, no Kansans. We just keep them out of here, okay? So a Texan, a Southern Californian, and a Seattle native. And I apologize for this too, but they were sitting around a bar one night.

And without warning, the Texan grabbed a full bottle of tequila and he tossed it in the air and he shot it with a pistol, produced a pistol and shot that bottle of tequila. And everyone in the bar gasped, wondering why the Texan would waste a full quart of tequila. And he said, it's just tequila and where I come from, there's lots of it. Well, not to be outdone, the Southern Californian tossed a bottle of wine in the air and he produced a pistol and he shot the wine while it was in the air.

And again, everyone gasped at the wastefulness. And the Southern Californian said, well, where I come from, we have plenty of this kind of tequila. Well, finally, the Seattle native, not to be outdone, he pulled out a full bottle of imported beer and he chugged it. Then he threw the empty bottle in the air, he shot the Californian, and he caught the falling bottle.

And he says, where I come from, we have lots of Californians. But I really feel I need to recycle this bottle.

You know, sadly enough, as funny as those things are, we have such divisions still in our country among people groups, ethnic groups, race, even gender groups. And we do make jokes about it. How many whatevers does it take to change a light bulb, you know? And even in America, where we're supposed to be the land of the free, send us your tired, your hungry, your poor, your troubled masses, yearning to breathe free.

And yet we get them here and we separate from one another. And now we even don't want them here anymore. And it's really sad. And we're seeking for diversity. There's the big emphasis in our country is unity with diversity. But how do you do that? How do you bring everybody under one canopy and keep the individuality? Without being exclusive, without keeping people out.

And I believe the Bible tells us there's only one way, and that's through Jesus Christ and the organism that he established called the church that he built, that he put together through his Holy Spirit. But how do you put that organism together? How do you begin that? How do you lay the foundation of that so that when people read about it, everyone realizes that everybody's welcome and no one is excluded from that invitation?

Well, that's what I think we're seeing here in Acts chapter two as we're looking at the Bible. Baptism of the Holy Spirit. And we began a few weeks ago with looking at this section in chapter two, the first 12 verses, under three different considerations, things that we're considering. The first thing we considered was the setting itself, the setting of Pentecost.

And we talked about the gathering of the Jews from all over the world who would migrate to Jerusalem three times a year for these three major celebrations. And we talked about Pentecost and what it's signifying and the emphasis on, separating themselves unto God, seeking that holiness before him during these 49 days following firstfruits. It's a time of prayer and of fasting, a time of seeking that purification, the Hebrew word tahara, the tahara of God, the purifying of God. It's a time of waiting upon the Lord to the point where that 50th day, the day of Pentecost itself, was anticipating the divine help, the divine outpouring of God to those who sincerely were seeking him.

And so, we saw from the setting that the people were prepared for God's outpouring. Hearts were ready. And we tried to equate that with us as sincerely wanting the Lord. Listen, I mentioned this first service. You can't read the psalm and say the Lord, Psalm 23, let's say, the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want unless he's your shepherd. You can't read that and expect any comfort from it.

And many people do. Many people want it at funerals. It's printed in the funeral bulletins. It's on books. And people want to derive some kind of comfort from that. But you won't unless the Lord is truly your shepherd. And for him to be your shepherd, first of all, you have to believe that he exists. You have to affirm that the Lord, God, genuinely, really exists.

And secondly, you have to want him. Secondly, you have to seek him with all of your heart. It has to be something that you realize is outside of yourself, is beyond your own strength, is beyond your own ability. God has to be out there. I affirm that. Now I need you, Lord. There has to be a perceived need for God to be. You're a shepherd. And then thirdly, you have to take him at his word.

You have to trust him. You have to realize that he's called us to repent. That means to turn away from our own desires, our own wants, our own fleshly needs, and turn away from that to walk in his ways, to seek him, to, like the Jews did at Pentecost, to wait for his divine help. And it's only as we do that that he gives that help, that we receive it. It's only as we do that that he then really becomes our shepherd.

It's only then that we can say with the psalmist in Psalm 121, I look into the hills. Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord. It only will if you truly seek him. And so the setting of Pentecost shows us that. And we talked about how our hearts need to be set on the Lord. And it's a cause for self-examination where that's concerned. Secondly, in verses two through four,

we talked about the sounds and sights of Pentecost because sounds were first and then the sight. The first they heard the sound is of a rushing mighty wind. And then they saw the tongues of fire as tongues that set up above the heads of each of the disciples. And we talked about God's breath, the breath of God's spirit, and how that's so necessary in our lives to change us.

It's not just learning a bunch of book work. It's not just coming to a building where the church meets. It's the breath of God blowing into your life. It's the refreshing that comes as God breathes into you the life of the spirit, just as he breathed into you life when you were first born. That's the refreshing that needs to come. Then, through that coming of his spirit, he will ignite you.

He will set that flame within you that will empower you to be his witness. And that's what we're here for. That's why you and I still breathe. You and I take a breath this morning, not so that we can just have a wonderful time today and have all kinds of fun. Although God said that he would give us life more abundantly. But our main reason for existing is to come to know him better

and to be a witness to others that others might know him. That's it, period. Beyond that, it's great. If you've had a good week, bless you. If you've had trials this week, the Bible tells us it's in those trials that he seeks to manifest his riches, his goodness, his glory, that he might be seen, that you might decrease while he increases. And we saw the sights and sounds, or the sounds and sights, really, of Pentecost.

And now we come to the third section, verses 5 through 12. And I want us to consider the selection that happened at Pentecost as we think about the baptism of the Holy Spirit as we look here today. The selection that happens at Pentecost. Verse 5, Now that we're staying in Jerusalem, God fearing Jews, from every nation under heaven. And when they heard this sound,

a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. Utterly amazed, they asked, Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, residents of Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs.

We hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues. And amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, What does this mean? Now verses 5 through 12 are normally verses we like to skim. You know, all those names we read, oh, just skim and go on to something more important. And if you're here any length of time at all, one of the things you're going to hear me say is,

everything is important in the Word. There isn't anything that's insignificant. All the names and locations are there for a reason. They're important. They're necessary for us to consider. And so I want us to consider verses 5 through 12 this morning and the selection that takes place at Pentecost because there is purpose in that for our understanding this morning.

Let me say that there are probably those sitting here this morning that feel alienated, that feel separated. You are in a group this morning, but you feel alone. You're sitting here and you may have a face on that says, everything's fine, but inside you feel alone. You feel separated. You don't feel like anybody really understands your particular situation.

You feel like no one really knows and no one really cares, not even God. God doesn't even know that I exist. God doesn't even understand or see the hurt that I'm going through and He hasn't done anything about it. Well, hopefully as we go through this section in verses 5 through 12, you'll realize that God not only knows and understands, but He's already laid the foundation.

He's laid the groundwork for your acceptance and for your being brought into an organism where you have purpose and where you have true life. And this we see as we look at these verses in verses 5 through 12. As we look at the selection occurring at Pentecost here, I want us to think about three things regarding this selection. First of all, who is selected?

Who is selected? The names in these verses are tremendously significant. Secondly, I want us to think about what happens or what's significant that signifies this selection. You say, well, they begin speaking in tongues. Well, that's fine. That's true. But I want us to look at this again and anticipate it being fresh, a fresh look at it. And thirdly is why?

Why? Never fail. Never fail. Never fail to ask God for understanding in anything that happens. God, why? And it's not a vindictive kind of why me. It's, okay, Lord, why? Now, what am I supposed to see with this? Who's involved? What happens? And why specifically did you have it happen this way? And God will open that up to us. Now, prayerfully, He'll do that today as we go through this section.

So first of all, I want us to consider who is selected. Who's mentioned in these verses? And there's a reason for their being mentioned. So first of all, in verse 5, we see that now that we're staying in Jerusalem, God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. Okay, we need to start there. The first group of people mentioned here in this section from verses 5 through 12

is God-fearing Jews. They were Jews, as we've seen in our area looking at the setting of Pentecost, that were gathered together. They come to Jerusalem for this Feast of Pentecost. Several hundred thousand, multiple thousands of Jews. And it says that they were God-fearing Jews. That means that for the most part, they were seeking the Lord. They were there at Pentecost, not just to ritually celebrate a feast,

but really seeking God, seeking the Lord's moving, this divine help, this outpouring, this separation, the purification of the Tahirah of God. And I just mentioned that as a true believer, that's the only way we can receive the Holy Spirit. That's the only way you're born again, is that true repentant heart, seeking the Lord, asking His forgiveness based upon the shed blood of Christ on the cross. That's the only way He forgives.

And He gives us then His outpouring, this outpouring of His Holy Spirit. So, these were God-fearing Jews. They were seeking the Lord. Secondly, I want you to notice that they were Jews. The first church was Jewish. Now, there is such a spirit of anti-Semitism in the world again today. And let me just say that according to Scriptures, that will continue until the day Jesus comes back.

It began in the Garden of Eden in Genesis chapter 3. Adam and Eve had heeded the serpent's temptation. God has now handed out the judgments against each one for their disobedience and to the serpent, to Satan. He says that he is going to set enmity. He's going to set division and warfare between Satan and the seed of the woman. And that the seed of the woman was going to come

and was eventually going to crush Satan's head. Satan would eventually be done away with. And so, from that point on, Satan has poised himself to destroy that seed. Now, ultimately, that seed is the Messiah. But the seed began from the nation, the seed that the woman brought forth, was the nation of Israel. And you see that depicted again in the book of Revelation,

where the dragon sits beneath the woman who's great with child, ready to deliver, and he's ready to devour her man-child when it's born. Well, that's Satan who has sought to destroy the nation of Israel, ultimately destroying the Messiah. And so, he's tried that down through history. There have been many anti-Semitic attempts to destroy the nation of Israel, the most recent in our generation, World War II, with Hitler's attempt to exterminate them.

Now, that was not finished at the end of World War II. It continues to build, and it's at a high fever pitch today. As you see, Israel, and specifically Jerusalem, the focus of a lot of the news media, with all of the negative coming against Israel. Israel shouldn't build. The land that they're building on, they own. They're not building right now on the West Bank.

They're building around the areas of Jerusalem, and the world is condemning them for that. This kind of an anti-Semitic attitude is going to continue to raise up. Until the time that Jesus comes again. Satan is seeking again to destroy the nation of Israel. And unfortunately, within the church, there can and has risen an anti-Semitic attitude, where even in the church, there's a hostility towards Israel,

a hostility towards the Jew. When the Bible says that salvation comes out from the Jews. The first church was Jewish. Listen, if you're sitting here with a feeling in your heart of antagonism or hostility towards Israel or towards the Jew, that is from the pit of hell. That is from Satan himself. And you need to confess it and repent of it, because the enemy is seeking to blind you from the truth.

We are to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, to pray for the nation of Israel. The first church was Jewish, totally and completely. Now, they were God-fearing Jews. And then it says, from every nation under heaven. And here's where God begins to get specific. These are people that have come from every area of the known world, from every single people group in the world,

are gathered here in Israel. Go ahead and put that on, if you would. Gathered here in Israel, in Jerusalem, for this time of the Feast of Pentecost. Now, this was taken out of my study Bible. It's a map that's down at the bottom of this section. I tried to blow it up. It's probably going to be virtually unreadable for most of you. But this is Jerusalem down here.

And these arrows show the different people groups mentioned in these verses 5 through 12. And so I'll just keep that up there and refer to it as we go through the study. All the nations under heaven are represented here. There's a reason for that. Now, verse 7 tells us that as the people hear this noise, the noise of the rushing wind, of what was like a rushing mighty wind,

they hear this wind right at the time, the very instant they're expecting the outpouring from God, God's divine help. They hear this wind and it draws them to where the disciples are in this upper room. And as they come, verse 7 tells us, utterly amazed, they asked as they hear all of these disciples praising God in different languages, utterly amazed, they ask, are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? So there's another people group that's mentioned.

First, we see the God fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. Now we see specifically mentioned Galileans. Now, there's a reason for that. They were all Galileans. But secondly, the Galileans were a baser sort of people. They were the lower class sort of people. They were the uneducated people. Not many educated came from Galilee when Nathaniel, is told that the Messiah is here and he's come from Nazareth.

He makes a statement, can anything good come out of Nazareth? There's a reason for that. The Nazarenes were Galileans and nothing really good came out of there. Those guys were mostly fishermen. They were not only blue collar workers, they were blue shirt and pants workers. They were everything blue. They worked around the sea. They were not educated. They were not men of letters, men of understanding.

That's why Jesus so marveled the Pharisees when he spoke. And they said, where did he get his education? He's from Galilee. So the Galileans were the foolish things. And God loves to use the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. And that's why you and I are so usable. Because we are the foolish things of the world. Not many noble, not many wise, Paul said.

Foolish things. God loves to use that to confound the wise. And that's what he did with these Galileans. Are all these men who are speaking, are they not Galileans? So the Galileans are there. Now in verses 9 and 10. 9 through 11, you'll see 15 different people groups mentioned. 15 different nationalities. 15 different groups of Jews, but from these different regions in the world.

There's a reason for this. So follow me on this. Bear with me. First, let's look at the first five mentioned, or the first four mentioned. He says they're Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and people from Mesopotamia. Mesopotamia. These are the first four groups are four groups that are east of Israel. Actually kind of come up and out and take in the areas

of Syria today, and Iran, and Iraq. All this area back over through here, back through the Jordan, the country of Jordan today, back in this area. And if you can kind of see it, you'll see these different names mentioned. Now all four of those names take in people groups from three of the world empires. Three of the reigning previous world empires. The Assyrians, which were based in the upper areas that are now Syria and Lebanon.

The Babylonians, which came after the Assyrians, conquered the Assyrians. They're from the areas around Iraq today. And the Medo-Persian Empire, which the remnants of that are in Iran today. And so the three major world empires are represented in just these first four names of people groups that are listed in these verses. That takes in a pretty good chunk of language groups, of national background and customs.

There's a blend of people groups in all of these. The Assyrians, specifically, were a warring people who, when they would come into a land like Israel, they would uproot most of the people and move them out and transplant other people there. They would leave a remnant of people. But the idea was that they would take the people and they would, like if they conquered us, they'd take us and move us to France and drop us off because we'd be lost in France, most of us.

Couldn't speak the language, we didn't know the culture or the customs or the weather or the, you know, the rainy seasons or planting seasons. It would take us a long time to learn that. And that was their purpose was to keep them off balance so they couldn't revolt. And so at the time you'd then intermarry. And so all of this intermarrying went on with these different people groups.

Now, as we look at this, you may say, well, you know, what about the people over in North America? What about the North American Indians? You know, they're not represented here. Well, if you go back to the Bible and back in Genesis chapter 10 and you see the table of nations before it moved into the area of the Tower of Babel, the nations that were mentioned cover every people group in the Bible.

It was after the Tower of Babel when God confused the speech of the people that they separated. It was during that time then that the continental drift happened. According to Scripture, the division happened. And there's a guy in the table of, in chapter 5, I believe it is. No, it's in chapter 10 where the genealogy is mentioned. And I think it's Peleg. During his lifetime, there was the division of the continents, the separation of the continents.

So the people groups were already established from this particular center section before the continents shifted. I was talking to Sean one day, Sean Wallace. And he mentioned that in the international exchange of police officers that they've been doing recently, they found that the Navajo Indians and off the Navajo, the police officers from the Navajo nation that police the nation there have exchanged officers with officers from Mongolia. And they found that not only are there similar physical characteristics, but the languages are almost identical between Navajo and the languages of Mongolia.

And so the people groups, see, were already established before the continents shifted. So the people groups that are represented here represent all the people groups in the world. So we have these from the first four groups that represented the first three major empires of the world. And then he says, Judea. Well, of course, there's going to be people from Judea.

Judea is a part of Israel. Judea is right here in the south. Here's Jerusalem, here's the, it's actually like a county of Judea, the area, region of Judea. Well, that's where most of the influential people come from. That's where the aristocrats lived, and just so there's an understanding that nobody's left out, Luke mentions that, and from Judea, there were Jews, there were God-fearing Jews in Judea, you know,

just like in the organized church today, there are God-fearing Christians in the organized church. Yes, I think there are God-fearing Christians in most denominations, just so we understand that. That's kind of what Luke's getting across with this. And then he says the next group is from Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, excuse me, Phrygia, and Pamphylia. Now, all of those take in all this section of Asia.

Minor, across regions biblically we'll see is Macedonia and Turkey today, all of this area in here. This is all the Asia and Pamphylia and Phrygia. All of these areas in here take in all of that particular segment that's kind of north and west of Israel. This is interesting because this will be the focus of most of Paul's missionary journeys later, and so there are Jews that are here at this feast that will see all of this.

Many will receive the Holy Spirit, will be saved, will be born again. And go back to these areas and will help with the foundational work. So when Paul comes through here, there's already the groundwork laid. And you see, that's the Lord. That's the Lord in our lives. With everything that happens, God has already prepared a foundation. God's already prepared a path for us to walk in.

That's for by grace are you saved through faith, that not of yourselves. It's a gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God has before ordained. He's already set the path. And here's a picture of how he set the path for the building of his church. This area of Macedonia is also the area of the seven churches of the book of Revelation.

And those seven churches, I believe, are representative of the church age, down through the history of the church. The basic general attitude of the church, down through history. And the fact that in each age, there are those churches represented. Like in this age of the church today, we're not just all Laodicean. I mean, thank God, we're not all apathetic and blowing off the Lord.

There are many on fire, really love the Lord with all their heart. There are those Ephesians here who are doing a lot of things for the Lord, but your heart's not in it. You've lost that first love. See, so there's representatives from each of those churches in every church age. And they also represent us individually. Maybe, hopefully, our church is seen as a Philadelphian church, a church of love,

a church that loves the Lord and his word. But within our church, we've got representatives from... I mean, if some of you guys are Laodicean out there, you're blowing me off right now. You could care less. There's some that you think you really got it together because you're here every week and you like to do stuff, but God's as far away from you. You have no personal relationship with him, right?

You're not talking to him. You feel empty and alone and set apart. See, there's individuals represented here from each of those church ages. So it's significant that all of those people are represented here at Jerusalem, where the churches really will really expand here in a few chapters here in the book of Acts. Then he says, then there were people from Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene.

Now, that's... We've already gotten everything kind of east and north of Israel, and we've just gotten most everything up here kind of north and west of Israel. Now he brings the south of Israel to the known world south of there to Egypt here and to Libya around the parts of Cyrene. Now, that's exciting to me because you read the Old Testament, and a lot of Israel's early history happened in Egypt with the patriarchs, with the Exodus and all, but New Testament-wise as well.

A few chapters on here, we'll find that the church... The church explodes, and in chapter six, they need some help. So they raise up the first deacons, and there's one of them named Philip. And Philip, he helps serve the church, and then he ends up going north of Jerusalem. And he's got a good thing going on up north here, and God calls him to go south to Gaza.

And so he goes south to Gaza, down to the strip along the side of the coast here, and he sees a caravan that's headed to Egypt. And God says, join yourself to the caravan. So he joins himself to the caravan, and he sees this guy in a chariot. And the guy is reading from the scroll of Isaiah. And God says, join yourself to that chariot. And so he goes and he asks that guy, do you understand what it is that you're reading?

And he says, no. Who's the prophet talking about? Is he talking about himself or someone else? And Philip was able to take him and, in Isaiah, show him that the prophet was talking about the Messiah, who has come, and his name is Jesus. And the eunuch believes, and we find out that this guy works for the queen in Egypt. He's one of her treasurers. And he gets saved, and Philip baptizes him there.

And history records that there was a major church born down in Egypt because of this eunuch. Well, this guy had died. He had been in Jerusalem to worship. He was already a proselyte there in Jerusalem worshiping. Now, I kind of feel like the guy's probably here in chapter 2. We don't know him yet, but he's already there. And God's laying the groundwork in his life.

He's going to see all of this stuff kind of happen, kind of fall together. He's primed. He wants to know more. He's heard about Jesus, and then God's going to bring Philip into his life. That's how God works. Also, it's interesting that he names Cyrene. That should prompt some recollection to you if you've been in the Scriptures much, in the Gospels. Jesus is on his way to Golgotha.

He's got the crossbar on his shoulders. He's weakened from the flogging. He stumbles and falls. A Roman guard comes over, takes the crossbar off of him, and puts it on another guy. Remember him? A man named Simon from Cyrene. And he carries it on up. Now, we don't hear anything else about him in Scripture. But I just feel like Simon the Cyrenian sees all of this going on.

God touched his heart. And he's probably here in Jerusalem in chapter 2 in Acts because he's really been drawn after seeing all this stuff happen. And he wonders what's going on. And I just bet you that Simon is there. And he ends up taking this message back to the areas in Libya. You know, there is a church in Libya. It's an underground church. But it's thriving right now.

We need to pray for our brothers there, our brothers and sisters in Libya. See how God builds? See how he prepares all of this? All these different people groups from all over the world are gathered together for this particular celebration of the Feast of Pentecost. Now, if you look in your Bibles, the next one it says is visitors from Rome, both Jews and converts to Judaism.

And it's, I don't know, in my Bible, I've got all these other groups circled for personal study. But then there at verse 11 where it says both Jews and converts to Judaism, it's in parentheses anyhow. And we have such a tendency to overlook parentheses. But get to the point where you realize parentheses hide the good stuff. Parentheses are explanations. You read John's gospel and everything that John puts in a parenthesis, he's giving you

his commentary on. This Jesus spoke of referring to the Holy Spirit, which had not yet been given when he talked about the woman at the well and the water that was going to bubble up from within. This is exciting. Now we have Jews from Rome and converts also. So now you have the current empire mentioned. The Roman Empire. People from Rome. Goodness, do you think maybe people from Caesar's household?

Possible. Later on, Paul mentions in his epistle that he's got a Bible study going and there's people from Caesar's household. Well, they're here. So you've got the fourth world empire that's represented people group wise there. But let's go back to that parenthesis. Jews and converts to Judaism. What does that mean? It means Gentiles, okay? Converts to Judaism.

These were non-Jews. They weren't born Jewish. They converted. They proselyted. They came and joined Judaism. They had to go through the rituals of purification and of baptism to be baptized into Judaism. They had to confess that Yahweh was God. They acknowledged that he was the only God. And they were baptized into Judaism. They were proselytes, but they were Gentiles born and bred.

So the first Gentiles saved were not in chapter 10. They're in chapter 2. Converts to Judaism. So you have Gentiles already here in chapter 2. You have every people group around from the four major world empires that had already been reigned or were currently reigning. From all of the people groups to the south and to the west. You have all of those mentioned.

And then he just kind of finishes up with Cretans and Arabs. And you could read over that and go, so what? Well, Cretans are from Crete. That's why they're called Cretans. But you read in Paul's letter to Titus some interesting things. Paul had left Titus on Crete to get the church going there. And he told him to appoint some elders. And he told him that these elders have got to be wise and watch out because there's some

people around seeking to creep into houses, unawares. Leads them to the church. Leading astray silly women. Crete was a wicked society. Crete was an immoral society. They were barbaric. They were slobs. When Paul lays out for Titus in Titus chapter 2, that area of the thing that we've taken and beat our women with of how we need to, you know, the women need to do this.

And it's something that we need to use as a guide. But that women should, older women should teach the younger women how to love their husbands, how to keep the house and all. It's because in Crete, they didn't know nothing about any of that stuff. They were totally an abusive society. Even today. Even today, you hear people who somebody's a slob in the way that he eats or whatever,

and they'll throw a moniker at him. You Cretan. And it means you're a slob. It means you're uneducated. Well, that's because of the Cretans. They were slobs and they were uneducated. And it was a tough place to build a church. But God was already laying groundwork because the Cretans were there. Or let me put it this way. Even the Cretans were there. But not only the Cretans.

He says Arabs. Now, Arabs. Take in everything down on this side, underneath all of Iran and Iraq and all of the areas of Medo-Persia and Babylon. The areas of Saudi Arabia were where the Arabs were. Now, who are the Arabs? Well, the Arabs are the descendants of Esau. You remember Esau, Jacob's brother, who hated Jacob because Jacob had deceived him. And even down through history, you have the remnants of Jacob and Esau.

And you have the Arabs who detest the Jews and are their enemies to this day. So even the Cretans and the Arabs were there. So you've got every, not only every known people group, but from every possible background. Enemies of God. Enemies of the nation of Israel. Barbaric. Uneducated. And the elite that you deem. All there together. And Luke wants us to understand that.

God wants us to understand that everyone is represented here. No one is left out. And that's true with his church. He offers to everybody. God's blessing is offered to everyone alike. Nobody's left out. If you're here this morning. And you've been here for a long time. And you've never asked Jesus into your heart. It's not because he hasn't offered. Maybe you feel like you're too bad to be considered.

You've done too many things that God could never love you. Cretan. Arab. Cyrenian. Egyptian. It doesn't make any difference. God's already got you covered. He already knows you. Your uprisings. Your down sittings. He knows your thoughts from afar. He knows all of you. That's who. That's the who. Now quickly, what? What happened during this selection at Pentecost?

Well, look with me at verse 6. He says, When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking. In his own language. Down at verse 8. Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? Down at verse 11. The last half of verse 11. We hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues.

They came together and they heard the disciples all speaking in different languages. Now in verses 6 and 8, the word in NIV is translated language. And it's the same word. And it is the same word in the Greek. It's the Greek word dialectos. And dialectos. We transliterate a word in the English. Dialect. And it means the specifics of a language. Not just the language itself, but the tonal qualities.

The accents. The pronunciations. The emphasis. The phrasing. All of that takes in the dialectos. Several years ago, we went to Florida on vacation. And when we got there, someone said, Have you ever had bald peanuts? And I'm thinking, peanuts in a ball. I've had popcorn in a ball, but never had really peanuts in a ball. And they said, No, not bald peanuts. Ball peanuts.

You know, hot ball peanuts. You take peanuts, put them in the water, and you ball them. Oh, boiled peanuts. They were pretty good. But down there, the dialectos, the dialect was bald. Hot ball peanuts. A whole different people group lived down in the south. That's the idea of dialectos. They were speaking not only the language, but the dialect, which was amazing to these people.

Then in verse 11, the word that's used there for tongues is the same word that we saw in verse 3 for tongues of fire that were over each head of the disciples. And that's the word glosos. And it literally means a tongue. So I believe those tongues were tongue-shaped, not just a cutesy little flame, but a tongue shaped like a tongue that was on fire because God was going to enable them to speak his word.

But it's the glosos, and it literally is used. It means language. So they were speaking the languages of each of these people groups, but in their own dialectos, in their own specific dialect. And so the disciples are speaking, and all these people, it was a miracle to them because here's all these hick Galileans, these base, uneducated people. Speaking their language with the proper dialect.

Ever heard anybody speak Spanish that's not Spanish? Ole, you know. Como esta? Usted? But these guys were speaking it with the proper dialect. And no wonder it was a miracle. No wonder they were amazed. It was truly amazing to hear them speaking in these different languages. Verse 11 says that they were declaring the wonders of God as they spoke in these. Now so often we focus on the tongues of Acts chapter 2.

And that's because Satan a lot of times can take a good thing and blow it up. And blow it all out of proportion. There's a lot of good ministry work that needs to be done among us. That sometimes Satan can encourage us to do so much good that we burn out. See sometimes he takes something that's good and distorts it. Blows it out of proportion. And it's so easy to read this and focus on the tongues

instead of realizing what God was doing with what he was doing. These people were hearing these people praise God. Declaring the wonders of God. And we have a whole Bible full of that. I mean you can go back to the Psalm. Which is kind of what I think they were doing. I mean I don't see these disciples just in some kind of a zombie state. Just speaking in tongues.

Not having any idea. I see them just like David. How awesome are your works oh Lord. How majestic is thy name in all the earth. Oh Lord our Lord. How wonderful. How faithful you are. Faithful to thousands of generations. They're realizing that God has poured out his divine help. And they begin to praise him. And God enables them to speak in a language that all of these people groups can hear.

And understand. And what they hear is people praising God. And if you look through scripture. You find that that's how this particular gift is to be used. Or it is used. It's declaring praises to God. It's not. I mean I'm not going to stand up here and go you know gobbledygook gobbledygook. And somebody says oh he said thus saith the Lord we must repent. No.

Not according to this. Not according to how the gift of tongues is used in scripture. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 14 2. For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men. But speaks to God. So this gift of tongues that has been given to God's church. And not everyone has this gift. Paul answered that in 1 Corinthians chapter 12. Do all teach? No. Do all have the gift of healing?

No. Do all speak with tongues? No. But he says it's used by those who have it to speak. To pray. And to sing to God. Not to men. And so if you're around an area. A congregation. And tongues has been so abused. People are afraid of it. And you've probably been around congregations. And just everybody's going nuts with tongues. And a lot of churches teach that that's the evidence of discipleship.

It's the evidence of the power of the Holy Spirit working in your life. Where I don't see that anywhere in scripture. But I do see Jesus saying by this all men will know that you're my disciple. And it wasn't speaking in tongues. It was by the love that you'd have one for another. A new commandment I give unto you that you love one another. As I have loved you so love one another.

For by this all men will know that you are my disciples. If you have love one for another. That's the mark of discipleship. Tongues is a gift that enables the speaker. To praise God. It edifies the speaker. And Paul says that in 1 Corinthians 14. It edifies the one who has it. I mean it's a very self-centered gift. And I have a prayer language. And I use it to pray.

Especially when I'm in a situation that's tight. And I need that strength. I need that. I need that area of God to see your hand in this. Because I'm losing it. And I pray and God strengthens me. So that I can minister to somebody else. And if that's not the output. If that's not the result. Then tongues is a selfish self-centered gift. Used only. Only for that individual.

If that individual doesn't then minister to somebody else. As a result of being strengthened. From that praise and prayer time with the Lord. But a lot of people use it as a barometer. I'm saved. I can speak in tongues. Nowhere mentioned. Nowhere given that way in scripture. Are tongues still for today? I believe so. Two reasons. Number one. The gifts are not given in a box.

The gifts are in a person. The Holy Spirit is the gift giver and operator. And as far as I read it. He resides in the person of each believer. So he's there. So he can operate whatever he wants. Whenever he wants it. And he can still operate that gift today. Some people go to 1 Corinthians 13. And they say well yes. But it says here that when the perfect has come.

Then that which is imperfect is done away with. Or fizzles out. And it mentions tongues and prophecies. Well that's true. And they say well the word perfect in 1 Corinthians 13 is in the neuter. Which it's not referring specifically to Jesus. Well not specifically to Jesus in that particular neutered tense. But in the activities of Jesus it is. If I speak with the tongue of men and of angels and have not love.

I become like a blurring brass or a crashing cymbal. Down to the end of that chapter. For now we see us through a glass darkly. But then. When? When the perfect comes. Then we'll see face to face. Now I prophecy in part. I understand in part. But then I will know even also as I am known. Let me ask you. Do you? Do you have perfect understanding right now of everything that's going on?

Do you see all the whys and the wherefores? Has everything been explained to you completely and fully? Well if it has you're closer than I am. Because I still see us through a glass darkly. I've got the word. And I read it. And I study it. But there's still a lot of things that happen. I don't have any idea why God's doing what he's doing. And according to 1 Corinthians 13.

When the perfect comes. I'll understand that. And that to me shows that it is talking about the second coming of Jesus. When Jesus comes. I don't have to pray in tongues. I can talk to him face to face. When Jesus comes. I don't have to prophecy and say. Thus saith the Lord. This is what God said. I can say. God what do you want to say? And he'll tell me. See when the perfect comes.

That which is imperfect will be done away. Until that time. I think these gifts are operational. But see the purpose of this. Of this here. What happened was for a particular purpose. And that's the why. Real quick. We'll close with it. Why this particular activity? It's because it was the mark of identification for the foundation of the church. Not a mark of discipleship.

A mark of identification for the foundation of the church. Had it not been this. Then somebody would come and say. Well I believe in Jesus. And he's from Crete. And they'd say. Oh Cretans can't believe in Jesus. Cretans can't be a part of the church. But they had the same foundational experience. As the Jews. As from Judea. They had that same foundational experience.

They're apart. This happened in Acts chapter 2. Where all the Jews were brought together. In Acts chapter 8. You'll see that two of the disciples are sent up into the regions of Samaria. Because there were believers up there who had not yet received the Holy Spirit. They went to Samaria. Which was a trip in itself. Because if you know the gospels at all. You know that the Jews and the Samaritans hated each other.

The Samaritans were part of that group that was carried off by the Assyrians. And they were intermarried. And so they were half reeds. They weren't full Jews. And so when they came back to Israel to worship. The Jews wouldn't let them worship in Jerusalem. Because you're half reed. And so there was a division that was set up. And they worshiped up in the mountains.

Up here in Samaria. That's why the woman at the well. When she finds out Jesus is a prophet. She says. She brings up spiritual matters. Worship. You guys say we need to worship in Jerusalem. And my people say we need to worship up here. Where do we worship? And Jesus said there's a time coming. When those who worship the Father will worship him in spirit and truth.

Does that make a difference? Where? So there was a separation and division. Now they go up. Peter and John go up. And they pray. And they lay hands on these Samaritan believers. And they receive the Holy Spirit. And they speak in tongues. They come back to Jerusalem. They say. God's saving Samaritans. God can't save Samaritans. Well yeah. They had the same gift we did.

When we got baptized in the Holy Spirit. Acts chapter 10. Peter's summoned to the house of Cornelius. Cornelius calls him over. Peter starts telling them about Jesus. In the middle of his sermon. The Holy Spirit falls on Cornelius and his whole house. And they begin to speak with these tongues. These languages. These dialects. And Peter says. Is there any reason?

Now he uses this as a defense. Is there any reason why these can't be baptized now? Because they got the same gift we did. And he baptizes them. He goes. Back to Jerusalem. He tells them. In Jerusalem. Gentiles getting saved now. No Gentiles can't be in the church. Well same thing happened to them. Happened to us. Acts chapter 19. There's the Old Testament believers.

The followers of John the Baptist. Disciples come through there. And they talk to them. Have you received the Holy Spirit? Since you believed. They said. We've not even heard of the Holy Spirit. And so they prayed and laid hands. And they believed. And were filled with the Holy Spirit. And began to speak with other tongues. As did those at the church. Now the foundation of the church has been laid.

Every people group. Every place in the world. Who comes to Jesus. Can receive the Holy Spirit. Can be an immediate part. Can not have to be separated. You can be diverse. Under the canopy of the organism of the church. You can keep your individuality. And Jesus is Lord. God laid that foundation. And this was a mark of identification. For the laying of the foundation.

So that when Jesus had already said in the gospels. Whosoever will. Let him come to me. The invitation was open. Nobody's excluded in coming. And as you come. You receive. You receive the same. Blessed promise of the Holy Spirit. That was given at the beginning of the church. He's already established it in the people groups. He doesn't have to set a little flame over your head.

And make the sound of a rushing mighty wind. He simply comes into your life. And breathes that breath of his spirit into your life. And you know the transformation is there. And you have the same Holy Spirit. That Paul had. And that Luke had. And that we have. It's the same spirit of promise. God loves you. He's promised you abundant life. He's promised you.

To bring you to that point of completion and perfection. But that only happens. As we come through his son. It only happens as we come to Jesus. That's what Peter's going to say. We'll talk about in the rest of Acts chapter 2. When we come to that next time. Peter's first sermon. Old foot and now Peter. We're going to tell him how to come to Jesus. You can come this morning.

If you've never come. You can come this morning. Just ask him to come into your heart. To forgive you of your sin. To fill you with that cleansing Holy Spirit. And he'll do it. The breath of God will blow fresh in you. Father I thank you for showing this to us. As specifically as you have. Because I know there's times where people feel alone. And separated.

And alienated. And as though no one could love them. No one would ever want them. But Lord you've already established. The fact that you have come to save the world. That the blood of Jesus Christ. Is sufficient to save the world from its sins. But the only ones who benefit. Are those who realize that. And call upon your name. Father I pray that if any here this morning.

Are listening by tape or radio. And they've heard all of this. But they've never asked. They've never come to that point. Of knowing that they need help outside of themselves. That they'll do it now. They'll just call upon the name of Jesus. Ask him to come in and cleanse them from their sin. And to fill them with his Holy Spirit. And Lord if there are those who have drifted.

That there are those. Who have become focused on other things. This life and the flesh has so distracted us. Lord your spirit's within us. The believers. All we have to do is fan that flame. Return to the first love. Return and repeat the first word. Lord I pray that. Especially because of the time. Especially because of the time. Help us God I pray. You've laid the foundation.

You've established it. And you've given us your Holy Spirit. Blessed be your Holy Spirit. In Jesus name we pray. Amen. Let's stand together.