MPC, 13th May 2001.Acts 2 - "Coming Home"
Phil Campbell MPC, 13th May 2001.
Coming Home. It's a very special feeling, isn't it. It must be. Just ask Ronald Biggs. The CALL OF HOME was so strong, Ronald Biggs was prepared to risk everything. On the run for 35 years, living in exile in Rio de Janeiro; the famous great train robber. Prepared to trade it all, he said, for a GOOD CURRY and an English beer. So he risked everything and HEADED HOME.
Where things haven't gone quite as smoothly as he hoped. And he's back in his cell. With 21 years still to serve.
Somehow, to Ronald Biggs it seemed WORTH THE TRADE. Better a jail cell at home. than FREEDOM IN A DISTANT LAND. Because there's something very special about COMING HOME.
Well, I want you to notice there's a spectacular homecoming in Acts chapter 2. But we won't really understand it without at least a little bit of background. Because you'll see there in verse 5, the crowd of people who are gathering in Jerusalem have come from EVERY PLACE YOU CAN THINK OF. But they've got ONE THING IN COMMON. Verse 5, have a look. "Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven."
Jews from Parthia, Jews who are Medes and Elamites; Jews from Mesopotamia; Jews from all over. Back on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. When a very strange thing happens.
But before we look at what happens, we need a bit of historical perspective. And ask the question, how come the Jews are scattered all over the nations in the first place?
The answer goes all the way back to Deuteronomy. The words of Moses; right back at the very beginning of the history Israel.
Because right at the point where Israelites is forming as a nation, Moses give a warning. That if they're UNFAITHFUL TO GOD, they'll be scattered around the nations like dust. They'll go from rooster to feather-duster in a flash. They'll go from NATION to NOTHING in the blink of an eye.
But even then there's a promise. And it comes in Deuteronomy 30, the first six verses. As Moses looks far into the future. A promise that IF THEY REPENT, if they TURN BACK WITH ALL THEIR HEARTS, that there'll be a HOMECOMING.
30:1 When all these blessings and curses I have set before you come upon you and you take them to heart wherever the LORD your God disperses you among the nations, 2 and when you and your children return to the LORD your God and obey him with all your heart and with all your soul according to everything I command you today, 3 then the LORD your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you and gather you again from all the nations where he scattered you. 4 Even if you have been banished to the most distant land under the heavens, from there the LORD your God will gather you and bring you back. 5 He will bring you to the land that belonged to your fathers, and you will take possession of it. He will make you more prosperous and numerous than your fathers. 6 The LORD your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live.
Do you notice, not only a HOMECOMING - but CHANGED HEARTS as well. As GOD'S SPIRIT will circumcise the hearts of his people. And the only thing they'll have to do, the only thing they'll have to do to be part of the homecoming, the only thing they'll have to do to have their hearts changed, is TO REPENT. Turn back to God with all their heart and soul.
Now to cut a long story short, the whole old testament is the story of how ISRAEL FAILS. And gets demolished. How the Israelites are scattered to the four winds. And those that have come back so far over the last few hundred years, they've come home to the land of Israel without ever really coming home to GOD.
The Old Testament prophets looked forward to the time when all that would CHANGE. The time when THE CHRIST COMES, to gather God's people back together. To bring God's people HOME.
And so here we are in Acts chapter 2.
Have a look at it again and see what's happening. Last week, we looked at chapter 1. And the DISCIPLES of Jesus - which meant LEARNERS - have turned into APOSTLES. Which means MESSENGERS. From their L plates to their P's.
And Jesus says the Holy Spirit's going to come on them; and they'll have GOD'S STRENGTH. To go out from Israel to ALL THE WORLD. With the message that THE KING HAS FINALLY COME. And it's time for God's people to COME HOME.
Except here in chapter 2, the world's already come to THEM.
First of all though, Jesus said they'd receive the SPIRIT. And they DO. In a spectacular way. We're told in verse 2 there's a sound like a howling wind; and the whole house shakes on its foundations; and tongues of fire crack through the air onto each of them.
Incredible signs; something dramatic is happening. And verse 4 tells you what it is. They're filled with the HEART CHANGING HOLY SPIRIT. and suddenly, these guys who have been told they've got to go and TELL THE WORLD. are speaking in other languages. Without even learning them first.
Now I reckon that would be a great way to learn a language, wouldn't it? Going through bible college I sweated on learning ancient Greek; hours every week, tests every second day. Grinding away. Let me tell you, it was hard work.
But here are the apostles, and suddenly they're speaking Turkish and Latin and Aramaic and Pamphilian and everything else. Which is incredibly good timing, considering they're in the middle of a crowd of JEWS. who are visiting Jerusalem from all the places you can see mentioned in verse 9 and 10 and 11. And they come together when they hear the sound.
Pick it up from verse 6.
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? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs--we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!
And here's the stunning thing. As the crowd of these God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven gathers around to find out what's going on, they can all understand what's being said. It's sort of like what you get at the united Nations where everyone's got their set of headphones on with an interpreter talking in their ear translating what's being said from the front. Except in this case, THEY DON'T NEED THE INTERPRETER. Because the HOLY SPIRIT has given the apostles the ability to SPEAK IN ALL THESE LANGUAGES so they can understand.
Here are the scattered people of Israel, coming together from every nation under heaven. And they're absolutely amazed. Read verse 7. See what they're saying. "Utterly amazed, they ask, "Aren't all these men who are speaking GALILEANS? Then HOW IS IT THAT EACH OF US HEARS THEM in his OWN NATIVE LANGUAGE?"
And what are they hearing? Slip down to the second part of verse 11. "We hear them declaring the WONDERS OF GOD in our own tongues."
Now can I just take a moment to say at this point, that what we're seeing here seems to be something different to the thing most Pentecostal of Charismatic Christians want to call SPEAKING IN TONGUES. More often than not if you've ever been in a church where they do that, it's just sort of BABBLING. With no meaning at all. And they'll often claim that what they're doing is what you see here. But most often, it seems to me that it's NOT. What's being said here ARE REAL WORDS. With REAL MEANING. And it's FOR A REAL PURPOSE.
Because it's ANNOUNCING THAT THE TIME HAS COME. The time Moses talked about. The time the prophets like Ezekiel and Isaiah and Joel had talked about; where God's Spirit would come. And CHANGE HEARTS. And the gospel would go out to ALL THE NATIONS. And ALL KINDS of people would be brought into the KINGDOM. In this new thing called THE CHURCH.
And NOW is the time. It's TIME TO COME HOME. The launch of a whole new era.
Except they don't quite REALISE that at first. Verse 12, they're amazed and confused. They're saying WHAT'S IT ALL MEAN?
And there are some of them, maybe the locals who don't speak any of these other languages, maybe people looking on from a distance and all they can hear is the rabble; and they say, huh, look at these blokes, they've been down to the early opener; they've had too much wine.
Well, that's the cue for Peter to start explaining. Here's the guy who 50 days ago denied he even knew Jesus. The night Jesus was betrayed and put on trial. Here's the guy who seven weeks and one day ago said, I DON'T EVEN KNOW HIM. Who wouldn't even own to knowing Jesus to a SLAVE GIRL.
And Peter stands up with the other eleven, and he raises his voice above the noise, and he addresses the crowd.
Now what we've seen so far is an amazing spectacle. What we're about to HEAR is what it all means. And so Peter addresses the crowd. He says, let me explain. Listen carefully to what I'm about to say. And from verse 15, he explains what's going on. They're not drunk at all - it's only nine o'clock in the morning. But he says, what's happening is WHAT WAS PROPHESIED BY JOEL. That God would pour out his Spirit, not only on the prophets like he had in the Old Testament. But on EVERYONE.
And Peter says THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING. And that the days Joel talked about. they've arrived. And been fulfilled in the life and death and resurrection of JESUS.
And that's what Peter goes on to tell them. That this man Jesus of Nazareth, he was accredited to them by all sorts of miracles. Who was handed over to them in God's plan; and they PUT HIM TO DEATH by nailing him to the cross. Just a month and a half before.
The one their prophets had spoken about for hundreds of years - they'd put him to death. In a case of mistaken identity. Or worse than that. Maybe they knew who he was. And they wanted to be rid of him anyway.
Verse 24, Peter says, you killed this Jesus. But GOD RAISED HIM. And then he quotes from Psalm 16, where David foresees a Messiah whose body won't go to the grave like everyone else; a Messiah who'll SIT AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD and RULE FOR EVER.
And if you go down to verse 32, you'll see that's the bottom line. That's the who focus of Peter's sermon. Remember what Jesus wanted the apostles to be? WITNESSES TO THE RESURRECTION.
And here as Peter PREACHES THE GOSPEL, that's what he's on about. The scriptures foretold it. And we've seen it. Verse 32. "God has raised this Jesus to life; and we are all witnesses to the fact."
And he's been exalted to the right hand of God; HE'S RULING OVER ALL THE NATIONS. And he's received the promised Holy Spirit that he's poured out. And, says Peter, THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE SEEING TODAY.
The time that was foreshadowed by Moses right from the start. Here it is.
Have you ever had a case of mistaken identity? A bloke stopped me in the street not long ago to talk to me. Then he realised I wasn't who he thought I was. How embarrassing. Red faced, backing away. I guess he thought I was some famous movie star or something.
But this is far worse. These Jews as they listen to Peter, as they weigh it all up, it dawns on them. They've made a huge mistake. The Lord; the promised Messiah. he came. And instead of worshipping him, they killed him. And now God's raised him.
And I guess there's a bit of desperation in their voices when they say the words in verse 37. Read what they say. "When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart, and they said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, WHAT WILL BE DO?"
They're cut to the heart.
And Peter says this. Important words. Because you might remember it goes all the way back to what Moses said. Coming home for the scattered people of Israel, it's not just about coming to a PLACE. It's a TURNING OF THE HEART. Heart and soul back to God. And so Peter says this. "Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ; SO THAT YOUR SINS MAY BE FORGIVEN. And YOU will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit as well.
And so in verse 41, the ones who accept the message, they're baptised - I don't know whether they go into the river, or they're just sprinkled with water or not - that's not the point. The point is, they've seen they were wrong about Jesus. And they've totally changed their minds. They've turned around. They've repented. And as a sign that they're washed and forgiven by God, they're washed on the outside as well. And about 3000 were added to their number on that single day.
There's still a question though. And it's an important one. The question is, COMING HOME TO WHAT? That's where Ronald Biggs came unstuck. Paid a million and a half by Rupert Murdoch to give himself up and fly home to England, he had in mind the courts would take pity on him. And let him off. Home to a life of beer and curries. When instead he came home to a jail cell.
Coming home to WHAT? Well, you can see it in the next few verses. That their repenting and turning back to God, it was the start of something REMARKABLE. Something they soon began to call THE CHURCH. Which you might remember Jim Ramsay telling us, means literally, THE GATHERING.
And so day by day, THEY GATHERED. And in the next few verses we're going to see what the first church looked like. Because we'll see, the end product of coming home, the end product of the coming of the Spirit, the end product of Peter's preaching, is a group of people. Called together by GOD into a whole new Israel. A whole new FAMILY.
And it's a GROWING family. In chapter 1, there are 120. And they've just grown by 3000. Exciting times.
These days we keep hearing that the church is going backwards. Declining. Only for old people. These days we hear Christianity is IRRELEVANT. Well, let me just ask you to measure up what we see today with what you see here. Because maybe the reason churches are shrinking is because they've LOST THE PLOT. And they're not being CHURCHES at all.
Read from verse 42. Because when these 3000 people repent and commit themselves to CHRIST, you'll see they're also committing themselves to each another. To be a church. And we're told THEY DEVOTE THEMSELVES to four things.
You can read what they are in verse 42. Four things that the first church was DEVOTED TO.
They devoted themselves to THE APOSTLES TEACHING. And to the FELLOWSHIP. To the BREAKING OF BREAD. And to PRAYER.
These were a bunch of people who were absolutely DEVOTED to the teaching of the Apostles. We're told there the apostles are doing amazing signs and wonders. The APOSTLES had been appointed by Jesus; the apostles TAUGHT WITH HIS AUTHORITY. And so the first Christians were hanging off the Apostles every word. Verse 43 and 44; "Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44 And all the believers were together and had everything in common."
Can I ask you, HOW IS IT WITH YOU? I mean, first things first. how is it with YOU AND GOD? The first step in coming home is still the first step. And that is, REPENT. And turn back to God. To realise that THE REJECTED AND CRUCIFIED JESUS. is the RISEN LORD. And when you do that, the promise is the same - that your sins are washed away for a whole new start. With God's Spirit changing your heart so you're actually WANTING TO DO RIGHT. From the inside.
And when you do that, realise. you're coming home to THE FAMILY. God's church. Which as a church needs to be devoted, I guess, to those same four things the church started out with.
They were DEVOTED TO THE TEACHING OF THE APOSTLES. The teaching of the Apostles is what makes up the New Testament. Absolutely reliably written down and passed on to us. Are you DEVOTED to the teaching of the Apostles? Is that our focus as a church?
That's why the BIBLE IS TAUGHT WEEK BY WEEK. And we need to keep it that way. And if you're devoted to being taught God's word, you'll be part of a small group. You'll be here on Sundays listening. If you're DEVOTED TO SOMETHING, you give it your time. And your energy. And your attention. More than that, you'll be OBEDIENT to the teaching of the Apostles. You're not devoted to it at all if you listen but you don't DO.
They were devoted to FELLOWSHIP. Are YOU? Or is getting together with your Christian brothers and sisters a bit of a drag? It's something we need to be WORKING AT.
Take a look at the next few verses. From verse 44. Here's what THEIR FELLOWSHIP looked like. "All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. EVERY DAY they continued to meet together in the temple courts.
They LOVED MEETING TOGETHER. If someone was hungry and someone else had more than they needed; what an incredible thought. They'd SELL IT. And share. Why should I have MORE THAN ENOUGH when my brother Christian is in desperate need.
That's how much they CARED ABOUT EACH OTHER.
Friends, the things we do, even little things like staying around to chat over morning tea; they're fundamental to BEING THE CHURCH. Can I ask you, when is church OVER for you on a Sunday? If you think it's over at the end of the last song, you're badly mistaken. That's only about HALF WAY. Because the real sharing and listening and caring, most Sundays it's still happening here at lunchtime. It's happening until the SECOND LAST PERSON leaves. And it happens through the week.
Why all the fuss about GROWTH GROUPS? Because it's more of the same. Fundamentally important to being the church. Because that's where REAL FELLOWSHIP starts to happen.
And where there are people who DEVOTE THEMSELVES to fellowship, there's a STRONG CHURCH.
They devoted themselves to THE BREAKING OF BREAD. That's the third part of verse 42. And verse 46 says they broke bread in their homes and they ate together with glad and sincere hearts. It's not talking so much about the token sort of communion service we have these days as the REALITY - they shared meals together. Exercised HOSPITALITY. And as they did it, they remembered Jesus. Whose body was broken for THEM.
It's costly, isn't it? Opening your home and your lives to your Christian brothers and sisters. Costly in time. In energy. In effort. But that's what the first church looked like.
And finally they DEVOTED THEMSELVES TO PRAYER. Which we need to be constantly working at too. And encouraging one another to do. In our small groups. Here together Sunday by Sunday. Husbands with wives. Parents with kids. They devoted themselves to prayer.
Now can I say to you again, we're being told these days that as an INSTITUTION, the Church is DEAD. But we're not looking at an institution here in Acts chapter 2, are we. We're looking at a HOMECOMING. A celebration. All kinds of people, all kinds of nationalities, all kinds of languages - brought together as a family. That's very alive.
And I haven't seen a church that's been devoted to THE APOSTLES TEACHING in the scriptures, and that's been DEVOTED to sharing and to fellowship; and that's been devoted to PRAYER. that hasn't been a living and active and growing church.
Verse 47 says the people in the community around them thought they were terrific. And God added to their number DAILY those who were being saved.
Let me tell you, if a church gets serious about being a church, it's a VERY ATTRACTIVE THING. But it needs some real DEVOTION, doesn't it. Maybe yours has grown a little bit COLD over the years. But God DELIGHTS in growing his church. When it's the right kind of church. And we can delight in it as well. So can I call on you this morning, if you need to refocus your devotion, why not make NOW THE TIME. Make sure you've taken that first step and taken it firmly. Of repentance.
And if you've done that, think again on the things that those first Christians were devoted to. And DEVOTE YOURSELF to them again. Because they haven't changed. And pray that God will make US that same sort of church. That he ADDS TO DAILY. As people are saved and brought into the Kingdom of God.