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[0:00] Good morning again, and thank you again for being with us. And Chris, thank you so much for your culinary capabilities. I was a little concerned about you being off for a whole year.

[0:16] I thought maybe I wanted to, you know, I was concerned whether you still had the touch. No, but you hadn't. In fact, I thought this morning was outstanding, and I really appreciate it.

[0:27] Thank you. Thank you so much for your efforts, and Holly, thank you for keeping Chris in line. We appreciate it. You've got handouts, and we are going to be looking at the two aspects of his coming, and there are some things here that we find necessary to take some exception to, and I'll explain that as time goes on.

[0:54] And you know, I was just thinking, in connection with preparing for this, the, I don't know what you call it, maybe the conflict or the angst that I feel sometimes in teaching, because I really don't want anybody to believe anything, because Marv has succeeded in putting it over.

[1:30] And you realize, and maybe you don't, because if you're not in this position, you probably never even think of it, but that is a real problem.

[1:41] You know that? More things are bought and adopted on the basis of the personality and the persuasiveness of the person selling it than they are because of just the clear, bold truth of it.

[2:06] And that is a big, big problem. And I've been emphasizing for quite some time now, you know, the subject of information and how valuable it is, how important it is.

[2:20] I trust you realize that there is a lot more wrong information out there than there is right information.

[2:32] And that's what makes it so challenging. Because for every right position to be taken, there's a dozen wrong ones. And the wrong ones are often more appealing.

[2:48] I think the Apostle Paul had to struggle with this. And I think this is why he said, like he did, writing to the Corinthians, he said, I use great plainness of speech.

[2:59] And he also said, when I was with you, it was not with persuasive and enticing words. And the Apostle Paul, the thing that he really had going for him more than anything else, was his content.

[3:20] Not his manner of putting it over, not his ability to persuade, not his cleverness of speech, but the sheer content. And that was explosive enough.

[3:32] And I suspect that's one of the reasons why he was in the position he was and why maybe God used him is because he didn't have the slick, appealing approach that so many super salesmen have that can put something over.

[3:55] You know, you've heard people, you've heard salespeople, it says of them, they could sell refrigerators to Eskimos because they're smooth, they're good.

[4:11] And I don't, I don't know, it's hard to explain, but I, and you know, I've come to the conclusion that there is only one, there's only one possible, I can't even call it a corrective because I'm not sure that it is a corrective, but it helps.

[4:29] And that is the only way that a speaker can safeguard his audience from buying what he's selling just because he's selling it is to give them an opportunity for feedback, for questions.

[4:54] And this is the rationale for why I do this and have done this for all the years that we've been here. But I must say to my own chagrin and embarrassment, I often don't give you an opportunity because I take all the time.

[5:12] And I don't feel good about that either. I just get carried away with the content and before I know it, the clock is eaten up and we're out of time. So, I just want to reemphasize once again that everything that I say and everything that I teach is subject to scrutiny, examination, and if you have the chapter and verse or the argument, it is subject to refutation, to being refuted.

[5:45] And I've told you this and I say it from the bottom of my heart. If I teach something that is not right, which I'm very capable of doing, and you know that it isn't right, and you don't call me on it, shame on you.

[6:03] Because you've not only done yourself a disservice, you've done me a disservice. I'm here to learn just as much as you are, and I certainly have been around the block enough to know, not only do I not know at all, I don't even know but a smidgen of what there is to be known.

[6:20] So, we're in this thing together, as the saying goes now. And if you've got truth or something or an argument or a position that conflicts with what I just told you, or what I say in the teaching, I'm not offended by that.

[6:37] And I don't feel it's a lack of respect for you to challenge something that I say. Because, well, in the first place, there is a gracious way of challenging somebody, you know.

[6:48] And grace people, I think, know that. And it's not for the sake of sheer argument, but if we're really serious about the truth, we want to get the truth whether it comes from the pulpit or the pew.

[7:03] Got that? That's really important. I can't tell you how strongly I feel about that. God forbid that anybody believes anything or accepts anything as a position because that's what Marv said.

[7:21] And if Marv believes that, that's good enough for me. Well, it shouldn't be. It shouldn't be. You need to be able to verify or refute, whichever, what is taught here.

[7:33] And I feel very, very strongly about that. Now, of course, I'm not interested in just engaging in arguments. You know that. But what we're really looking for is real truth.

[7:46] Because remember, for every truthful answer and truthful position, there's a dozen wrong ones. And this morning, you're going to get another example of that as we look at these two aspects of his coming.

[8:00] And one of the reasons that I've distributed this is because this is content that I distributed a year ago. And I don't remember if it was a January or February.

[8:15] But anyway, February was the last one we had because of the COVID thing and everything kind of shut down. So this is the first time that this group has met. And this is a monthly group.

[8:25] And we meet the last Thursday of each month. And it used to be Tuesday, but we had to change it. So we are returning to some of this content because we didn't hardly even get it underway.

[8:40] And we're looking at two aspects of his coming. And this is material that has been taken from a book entitled The Return that was authored by Tommy Ice and Timothy Demme.

[8:51] And it deals with two aspects of his coming. And I thought it was so pertinent that I wanted to distribute it for your consideration. And we'll be talking about it this morning.

[9:03] Also, well, it's something else. I won't go there. So here's what we want to do. You know, we've been talking about the distinctions that are set forth in Scripture between prophecy and mystery.

[9:21] And I've made a big issue of this because it is a big issue. And as I've told you before as a congregation on Sunday, the principal reason that I am emphasizing this material, although generally it has been taught here by me for the last 50 years, the reason I'm giving this what I would call a kind of parting shot is because I have no idea how much longer I'm going to be with you because of the age factor and health, etc.

[9:57] So all I want to do is everything I can to solidify in your minds and thinking as a congregation these principal things that have distinguished Grace Bible Church from a whole host of other churches through the years.

[10:15] And I consider these things so critical and so important that I want to do everything I can to make sure that you have as firm a grip on this content and these truths as possible.

[10:31] If you have not read this little pamphlet that's here on the table, it's called Do We Exalt Paul? If you have not read that, please do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of that and give it a thoughtful reading because this is a charge, this is a criticism that is often labeled at Grace People the world over.

[10:59] And that is, well, you Grace People, you make too much of Paul. Well, we do make much of Paul because Paul makes much of Paul, but not Paul, but Paul's ministry.

[11:16] He said, I who am less than the least of all the apostles, to me is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ. And Paul said, I magnify my office.

[11:30] And that's really important. I magnify my office. He doesn't magnify Paul, but he magnifies his office. What is his office?

[11:41] His office is that sphere of responsibility that has been assigned to him to carry out. That's what he's magnifying, making much of.

[11:54] And it's the same with anybody that occupies any office. If it's the office of the President of the United States, he ought to be able to say, and God help us if he can't say it, I magnify my office.

[12:06] In other words, he's saying, I make much of the office that I fill and the responsibility that I have for discharging what I'm supposed to do. And God help him if he doesn't.

[12:18] So that's what this is all about with Paul. And I want you to see in these rapture passages and second coming passages that we're talking about here, just one more illustration of what we're talking about regarding the uniqueness of the ministry of Paul.

[12:37] And let me just preface this with a few comments, once again, to stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance. You've got to keep in mind, if you don't understand this, you're at a real handicap.

[12:51] You've got to understand that when Christ appeared on this earth and started his ministry, his message was singular.

[13:03] And it was the same message that John the Baptist preached when he introduced Jesus at the age of 30, when he was baptized by John, and he was thus introduced into the priesthood, but it was the priesthood of Melchizedek.

[13:26] And John came baptizing so that he might introduce Jesus to the nation of Israel as their Messiah, their long-awaited Messiah.

[13:40] And I say long-awaited because how long? How long had Israel waited for God to make good on his promise that the seed of the woman would crush the head of the serpent?

[13:51] 4,000 years. That's how long they waited before Jesus appeared on the scene. And for those who are upset because he talks about his second coming and he hasn't returned yet, he's been gone for 2,000 years, just be reminded that the Jews waited for him in his first coming twice as long as we have, and he did show up.

[14:11] And he will show up for the second coming too. We just don't know when that will be, but that's what we're going to be looking at. So that was the message. That was the earthly message that Jesus preached to the nation of Israel.

[14:23] It was repent. That means you people need to change your mind about a whole lot of things, namely about your sin and about everything else.

[14:34] Repentance means to change your mind, change your thinking, and your thinking is always to be changed on the basis of information that you have received that justifies your changing your mind.

[14:46] Why should I change my mind? Because you are given data, information, that requires you to come to a different conclusion than what you had before.

[14:59] That's what it means to repent. It means to change your mind based on the information that you get. That's the message that was delivered to Israel. And then Jesus called 12 men, most of whom were fishermen, all of whom we would say were commoners, and he gave them, they didn't have it, anything close to it.

[15:23] Jesus, the text says in Matthew 10, that Jesus gave them authority over demons, the ability to cast out demons, to raise the dead, heal the sick, give sight to the blind, and so on.

[15:37] And they went forth with this message, preaching this message, and accompanying the message with proof of what they were saying by the miracles they were able to bring.

[15:50] And it was absolutely stunning. I mean, it was just drop dead stunning. People that had been blind for years saw, people that had been deaf, had their ears open, people that were crippled, able to walk.

[16:04] It was absolutely stunning. And they were multiplying the ministry of Jesus in teams of two, sent out six teams, and later, he's going to send out 70 with the same message, and they're going primarily all throughout the Galilee, and the result is absolutely astounding.

[16:23] And well, it should be. That was the message that was preached then. And all of those miracles were designed to back up and give evidence to the fact that Jesus of Nazareth was who he said he was, the Messiah of Israel.

[16:40] We are told that the common people heard him gladly. They gathered in huge throngs. We read about the feedings of the 5,000 and the 4,000 later and the great crowds, et cetera.

[16:50] And these people were absolutely taken with this person, Jesus of Nazareth, except for the deep state of Israel.

[17:04] There was a lot at stake. Their position, their perks, their prestige, their connection, everything else. You see, the deep state of Israel, which was all Jewish, and it was the Sanhedrin, the scribes, the Pharisees, we would say the Jewish government officials who were actually ruled over and were subservient to the powers of Rome.

[17:32] But these Jews in the deep state were in bed with Rome in that they cooperated with them and Rome gave them, just for their own benefit, Rome gave them certain perks and privileges, et cetera, because their job was to keep the people in line and they used Judaism and the religion and the demands upon it to do that.

[17:57] and that's why they were opposed to Jesus because he was upsetting their apple cart and they did not appreciate it. So, they decided to do away with him and they succeeded in doing that or at least so they thought and then after the crucifixion, the most embarrassing thing that could possibly have happened to the deep state was three days later when Jesus was resurrected from the dead and that gave another dimension to the preaching of the apostles which now included you crucified him but God raised him from the dead and that message was just electric and here's something I really want you to keep in mind.

[18:48] This is so important and I'm hammering this. The message of the kingdom, the kingdom of God coming to earth which means the earth and the people on it are going to be fixed, made right that the world will be as it ought to be when Christ returns and establishes that kingdom because he will establish it and he's going to rule and reign and this world for the first time since Genesis 3 will be as it ought to be.

[19:22] That was the message and the king is going to do that. Well, they crucified the king and a lot of people, a lot of Christians, a lot of Christians today think that with the crucifixion of Christ that was Israel's final answer, their final no to Jesus of Nazareth and that as a result of that God has withdrawn the opportunity of the kingdom to Israel so that the option is not there any longer.

[19:56] They blew it and it's over for Israel and in Acts chapter 2 God has abandoned Israel and he has brought online a whole new group called the Christian Church and the birthday of that is in Acts chapter 2 on the day of Pentecost.

[20:19] that is perhaps the most grave faulty assumption of Christendom that has ever been made because there is no reason to believe that what I just said that is commonly accepted there is no reason to believe that that's true but it is believed by probably 95% of Christendom today including Roman Catholics and Protestants and let me tell you 95% of the people accepting a position on almost anything for most is proof positive that it's true and probably the best illustration that I can give you is that the scriptures make it so clear there have been repeated instances where the vast majority has been proved wrong and I'm thinking of

[21:26] Genesis 6 through 9 how many people did those eight souls that were saved in the flood of Noah how much of a minority did they constitute a pretty slim minority in other words it was eight people against the whole world and they were all wrong but these eight were right and the reason they were right was because they had gotten right information from the source from God and the other people had nothing to go on but their own whatever so what I'm saying is this Acts 2 thing was oh it was the beginning of a church it was the beginning of a church but it wasn't the beginning of what we call the church that is the body of Christ the Bible uses the word church over and over again and it uses it in all kinds of settings and you must understand that the concept of church which in the

[22:35] Greek is ecclesia it means a called out assembly for a specific purpose and that applies to all kinds of entities and it doesn't have anything to do necessarily with Christianity that assembly which by the way is translated the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved in the King James of 247 of Acts that's not a bad translation because it was a church but there are a lot of different churches and you've got to make a distinction and we've been hammering on this thing for quite some time now and that is you must rightly divide the word of truth that means for instance with the word church you've got to decide what church is being talked about what assembly is being talked about in Acts 19 for instance when Paul is at Ephesus and there's a big row that is started there because there's a huge crowd gathered there this is the place where they worshipped

[23:42] Diana or Artemis of the Ephesians the city of the Ephesians she was the patron god if you will of the city and this stadium was dedicated to her and Paul was there and some Christians and they wanted of course to present the gospel and we are told that there was a mob of people a mob of people Gentiles pagan pagans lived there in Ephesus heard that there was a big commotion going on in the temple and they all started running toward the temple to see what it was all about to get in on you know the exciting news and the scriptures called them a church are you kidding me why would you call them a church they're called the church simply because they were an assembly of people who were coming together for one purpose and their purpose was simply to get into the temple and find out what was going on and when they found out that there were Jews there and that they wanted to speak and that Paul was ready to prepare to preach the gospel they wouldn't give them a voice they shouted them down and were told for two hours

[24:50] I think that's what the text says for two hours for two hours think of that they chanted over and over again greatest Diana and then this side of the platform would say of the Ephesians and then this side would chant it again greatest Diana and then the echo over here of the Ephesians can you imagine that going on for two hours it sounds like a college campus doesn't it where they won't let a conservative speak they shout them down hey there's nothing new about that Paul dealt with that 2,000 years ago so what we've got in Acts 2 is a church but it is a church comprised entirely of Jews how do we know they were all Jews because this was a Jewish feast and at the Jewish feasts in the temple you if you were not a bona fide Jew you were not even allowed to be there and they had signs posted on the outside perimeter of the temple area you see there was a court of the

[25:55] Gentiles where Gentiles were allowed on the temple area but beyond this barrier no Gentile was allowed and they put up a sign and they put it in different languages warning Gentiles if you are Gentile if you're not a Jew you are not permitted beyond this place at the expense of your life you can be killed on the spot if you are not a Jew and you go beyond this place and this is where they were and this is why we know that this assembly was comprised of all Jews and we have miraculous manifestations that take place there this rushing mighty wind that they heard that everybody is saying what is this what is this have you ever heard I trust that you've never been in one personally experienced it but have you ever heard the audio portion of a tornado it is a rushing mighty wind and some have described it as sounding like it sounded just like a huge freight train was rolling right by your window and it is a noise that you cannot forget and it is overpowering

[27:21] I don't know if that's what they heard or not but we're told that it was the noise of a mighty rushing wind and boy that got everybody's attention and they're wondering what's going on everybody's looking what is this and then they start speaking in languages that they've never heard and they wonder if these people are intoxicated what's going on are these guys drunk or what and Peter stands up and this to me this is one of the most glaring oh my this is this is terrible this is terrible when they asked what was the meaning of this Peter stood up and said men and brethren these men are not drunken as you suppose seeing it's only the third hour of the morning it was nine o'clock in the morning and then he says but this is that which the prophet

[28:23] Joel was talking about now dear friends let me just ask you a simple basic question why can't we take what Peter said as being the meaning of what happened there you would think you would think that Peter stood up and said what this is that you're hearing and seeing and these people speaking in languages that they had not heard what this is is the birthday of the Christian church and Israel is toast you're gone this is this is this is the Christian church because Israel and Judaism rejected Jesus now he has completely rejected them and he started with a whole new people and it's called the Christian church you would think that's the way the text reads but it doesn't read that way at all well let's go to it I hadn't planned to do this

[29:23] I hope I get to what I'd intended for this morning but I'm not getting there now so let's go to Acts chapter two and this this is oh I tell you I my heart bleeds for the people that don't see this because it opens so many doors of understanding Acts chapter two this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel and he quotes Joel if you've got a new American standard like I do you will see that verses 17 through 21 are in capital letters which indicates that it's taken from the Old Testament and it's just a quote here and he says this is that which was spoken through the prophet Joel and it shall be in the last days God says well now let's stop right there for just a moment what are the last days typically I suspect that most Christians think that the last days refers to the time immediate before the

[30:24] Lord returns for the second coming but that is not the biblical meaning of the term the last days what it means is anything anything anything on the plus side of the cross constitutes the last days the cross of Christ is the dividing point everything that was on the other side of the cross before Christ was crucified is referred to as the former days so the former days and the latter days are split in two and that which splits them is the cross and let me emphasize this the cross changed absolutely everything I mean there has never been such a cataclysmic event in the history of the planet as what was realized and what was involved in the crucifixion of Jesus

[31:29] Christ and that statement that he made it is finished is just so powerful and so all-encompassing that we just cannot get our brains around it so that that constitutes the latter and let me put it this way to illustrate the apostle Paul and all who lived in that generation with him lived in the former days and the last days see what I'm saying they were in the bridge they were partakers of the former days lived then and the latter days after the cross and when he goes on to say in the last days I will pour forth of my spirit upon all mankind and your sons and your daughters and by the way keep this in mind the prophecy from which he is quoting here Joel was written 500 years before Jesus was born Bethlehem and he says your sons and your daughters shall prophesy and your young men shall see visions and your old men shall dream dreams even upon my bond slaves both men and women

[32:39] I will in those days what are those days those days are the same as the last days in those days pour forth of my spirit and they shall prophesy okay well maybe what took place on Pentecost that they were experiencing right then maybe that answers to that and I don't understand all of the daughters and sons prophesying and all of that but I do understand something about verse 19 and I will grant wonders in the sky above and signs on the earth beneath blood and fire and vapor of smoke the sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood and my question is where were those why wasn't that part of the mix there's no indication that they experienced that we can give them some credence for the first part of that in verse 17 but what about this other these are supernatural events and they were lacking there isn't any indication in history or in scripture that the things that are given in verse 19 through 21 have ever been realized in context why not what's going on here now I want you to consider this because to me this is the key to the whole thing this phenomena that took place on the day of

[34:34] Pentecost was the actual beginning in a very small way addressing the kingdom conditions the kingdom is actually starting to get underway that's why these phenomena are continuing now let me make a statement and I hope you burn it into your brain and never forget it because it's really important the supernatural the miraculous manifestations are linked to almost exclusively to the kingdom concept the kingdom program not to the church concept and the body of Christ the difference is immeasurable and what I base that on when I say this is the very beginning of the kingdom conditions that are being met it is actually getting underway and the way was paved for it to be a reality because

[35:46] Christ had died and his death paved the way for the establishment of that kingdom how many times have I told you there are two things you're familiar very familiar with what's commonly referred to as the Lord's prayer and we've talked about this our father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name thy kingdom come that is a prayer and it is a prayer for the kingdom of God to come to earth why because the earth is really in a mess and really needs to be fixed it's a broken hurting ruined world and when the kingdom of God comes to the earth things are going to be made right because Christ is going to make them right that's what that Lord's prayer is all about so that God's will will be done on earth as it is in heaven is there anybody in their right mind that thinks that's happening now not even close not even close but when

[36:49] Christ paid the price okay come over to Acts chapter 3 just over a page Acts chapter 3 this is marvelous stuff oh boy if I'm not careful I'll get excited look at this this is in connection with the healing of this man who was lame from his mother's womb I think the text says something if I remember correctly I think the guy is over 40 years of age and he has never walked a day in his life and he is he is he is he's he's a fixture there in the temple he's got a choice begging spot and begging was not looked upon like it would be today it was a legitimate thing then really people who couldn't do anything else had to beg for a living and this guy was one of them and every day his friends would carry him because he couldn't walk they would carry him and pop him down in his place and he would sit there with a little basket holding out for alms and alms and Peter and

[37:49] John came by and the guy looked up and he held his basket you know expected him to put a coin or something in and Peter said silver and gold have I none but such as I have give I unto thee in the right I would have loved to have seen the expression on that guy's face he is standing on two legs he has never stood on in his entire life and he just can't get over it and he is walking and stomping and he grabs Peter and he hugs him and he grabs John and he hugs him and the people are looking and the crowd is gathering and everybody is coming and he doing he can't walk what's going on here and boy the crowd is growing and Peter sees an opportunity and he takes advantage of it in verse 11 of

[38:55] Acts 3 we read while he was clinging to Peter and John all the people ran together to them the so-called portico of Solomon full of amazement I guess and when Peter saw this he replied to the people men of Israel now I want you to notice these are all Jews men of Israel why do you marvel at this or why do you gaze at us as if by our own power or piety we had made him walk the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob the God of our fathers has glorified his servant Jesus the one whom you delivered up and disowned in the presence of Pilate when he decided to release him but you disowned the holy and righteous one and asked for a murderer to be granted unto you and you put to death the prince of life the one whom God raised from the dead a fact to which we are witnesses and

[40:00] I think when Peter says we I think he was talking about himself and the eleven other guys that were standing there with him they were all witnesses they were they were the twelve on the basis of faith in his name that is Jesus it is the name of Jesus which has strengthened this man whom you see and know and the faith which comes through him has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all wow isn't that something and now brethren I know that you acted in ignorance just as your rulers did also why were they acting in ignorance because of wrong information they bought it and instead of crying out release him crucify

[41:05] Barabbas it was crucify him crucify him and he says but the things this is precious stuff but the things which God announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets you can go and read them you can read Isaiah and Jeremiah and Ezekiel and Daniel and Hosea and Joel and Amos and Obadiah and Zechariah they're all talking about it it's all through the prophets and by the way this was all the Jews had then the New Testament didn't even exist this was their whole Bible and they were familiar with it prophesied by the mouth of all the prophets that his that God's Messiah God's Christ should suffer he has thus fulfilled what's that mean it means he suffered means he died it means he paid the price and here

[42:12] Peter is delivering to these people if you can get into this he is delivering to these Jewish people the offer and the opportunity that was made to Israel beginning with John the Baptist continued with Jesus and is continuing with the twelve preaching this gospel the kingdom of heaven is at hand and if you Israel will embrace Yeshua as your king you can have the kingdom but you can't have the kingdom without the king there is a two part program here as we have said so many times there are two things that are necessary for the kingdom of heaven to come to earth and be established the first thing that's necessary is that the price for redeeming a broken ruined kingdom has to be made the moral scales of the universe have to be balanced that's what

[43:26] Jesus did on the cross that's what he meant when he said it is finished he didn't say I am finished he said it is finished which means God's part of the transaction was complete that's what he meant when he said it is finished it is finished and he bowed his head and gave up the spirit father into thy hands I commend my spirit and of that two prong reality that has to be actuated the first part has been cared for that's what he means when he says that his Christ should suffer he has thus fulfilled which is tantamount to saying this is a two part program between God and Israel and God's part is done it's over

[44:29] Jesus died he paid the penalty and the way of access is wide open for Israel to embrace and accept the kingdom Israel what do you say this is an offer this is an opportunity remember when Jesus said to Peter that he gave him the keys to the kingdom remember that Matthew Matthew 16 18 Peter is using the keys right here he is opening the door to Israel and saying God through Christ and the payment he made has provided an open door for Israel will you walk through look at the rest of the text he has thus fulfilled verse 19 then is repent therefore what's the next step what do you need to do you need to change your mind change your mind from what change your mind from the position you had about

[45:43] Jesus of Nazareth before he was crucified that he was an imposter that he wasn't from God that thus and so and so all the negative wrong things you people have to change your mind you have to repent you have to reverse yourself and the reason you should reverse yourself is because you have been given accurate information that justifies and demands you changing your position that's what conversion is it is moving from a position previously held to a new position that you didn't hold before and it is usually very radical and it was here repent therefore that's your part and return so that your sins may be wiped away in order that times of refreshing and what is that that's for the earth that's for the planet god knows this earth needs refreshing it needs more than that go on reading times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord and that he may send

[46:44] Jesus the Christ appointed for you well now wait a minute wait a minute send Jesus send Jesus just left ten days ago remember at the ascension he told the disciples tarry in Jerusalem until you are endued with power not many days hence and the feast of Pentecost started ten days later and that's what chapter two was all about and we're here in chapter three which is hard on the heels of chapter two chronologically it's in the same time frame and now he is saying he may send Jesus the Christ appointed for you in other words you're telling me that Jesus has just been gone for ten days and God is going to send him back if Israel were a pentecost that's exactly what he's saying that's exactly what he's saying whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things and that again is a new heaven and new earth about which

[47:55] God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from ancient time wow and let's boil this down and what Peter is actually saying is two things are required for the kingdom of heaven to come to earth that every Jew has just longed for and every Jewish woman that ever lived from Genesis on had the dream would would have considered it the most magnificent honor that could ever be bestowed upon a human being of the feminine sex would be to bear the body of the

[48:59] Messiah the world fixer the world changer the world God's world superman that's going to fix everything the way it's supposed to be a ruined broken world and he quotes more prophecy from the Old Testament and what I am telling you and this is so critical this is so important these miraculous manifestations the speaking in tongues the rushing mighty wind the healing of this man in chapter three all of those things are in keeping with the characteristics of the kingdom of heaven this is the supernatural the supernatural and the kingdom of heaven go hand in hand they are of the same ilk they are characteristic of the kingdom and this is precisely why

[50:02] Jesus performed all of the miracles that he did it was to authenticate his claim to be the Messiah and he gave that same authority and power to the disciples and here Peter who has the keys to the kingdom he is opening that kingdom the door to the kingdom and wide open and what I'm saying is listen even though even though Israel was complicit in the crucifixion and death of their Messiah the opportunity for them to still yet after all that embrace Jesus as their Messiah repent of their error and their wrong doing admit that they were wrong and embrace Jesus as their Messiah and the kingdom is still a viable possibility what do you say what do you say and to back it up we've got these miracles and this miracle of this man in chapter 3 and look if you would come over to chapter chapter 4 just across the page and this is kingdom content that is continuing and let's just jump in with verse 32 chapter 4 and verse 32 and the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul that means that these people had achieved a kind of solidarity and closeness and togetherness that was probably never realized before

[51:46] I mean there is something really wonderfully different and dynamic that is happening with this group of people and they are all believers and they are all Jews they're all Jews no Gentiles involved and the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and one soul and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own does that sound like any Jews you know no doesn't sound like any Gentiles I know either yeah what what is it this is this is some kind of inexpressible spirit dynamic that is occurring in the minds and hearts of these people that is just supernatural and he goes on and says not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own but all things were common property to them and with great power here's more miracles the apostles were giving witness to the resurrection of the

[52:50] Lord Jesus and abundant grace was upon them all for there was not a needy person among them for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales are you kidding me and the money they got from it they lay them at the apostles feet and they would be distributed to each as any had need now folks there is absolutely nothing that is natural about that that is supernatural to make these people part with their possessions what are they doing why are they doing this kingdom kingdom things are going to be made right and a spirit of sharing and commonality listen this this is biblical communism this is biblical communism this is not marxist communism this is biblical communism marxist communism can never touch this marxist communism is still fraught and shot through and through with human selfishness and self centeredness this is different this is supernatural this is really unusual stuff and the text goes on it says

[54:17] Joseph a Levite of Cyprian who is also called Barnabas by the apostles this guy is going to be a major player he's going to be Paul's first partner Barnabas and he owned a tract of land in verse 37 and he sold it and brought the money and laid it at the apostles feet can you imagine that can you imagine what would happen here at grace if I told these people this Sunday now listen you folks if you really want to own properties bring your deed bring your deed here to the church Sunday morning and sign it over sign it over the ownership of your property to the church and you can trust our elders you can trust our elders and we we will disseminate the proceeds of that money and we will decide who needs what and who gets what and we will parcel it out you got that now listen isn't that what the

[55:25] Bible says and then I can always charge you with and if you're not willing to do that you just don't have enough faith and do you know that this kind of garbage is actually taught in different places seriously and do you know what their authority for it is got it right out of the Bible right there it is read it yourself don't you want to because I did that for some years after I became a believer so what is this this is miraculous manifestations and if you go on in chapter five you've got the

[56:33] Ananias and Sapphira thing where they fudged on it you know they sold the land for ten thousand dollars and instead of bringing the price of the land and giving them ten thousand dollars they thought well we don't have to give it all we could keep five thousand for ourself and do you know something there wasn't a thing wrong with that they could have done that they could have done that but what was wrong was they lied about they gave the impression that they gave the whole proceeds and Peter asked them Peter asked Ananias tell me Ananias did you and and by the way where did Peter even get the idea to ask the question that too was supernatural God revealed that to Peter that this man was not on the up and up and he says to Ananias tell me did you sell the land for so much and

[57:33] Ananias said yeah for so much and Peter rebuked him and he said listen when you sold the land and got the money it was yours to do with as you pleased you could have kept the whole thing you could have given part us the impression that you brought the total cross to the land and laid it at our feet and you lie and then Peter said and you haven't lied to men you have lied to the Holy Spirit Ananias dropped dead and he did now I'm here to tell you that what did Peter do did he impose a heart attack on this guy or what I don't know but I'm telling you what I'm telling you is this is supernatural and his wife

[58:34] Sapphira wasn't there when all of this happened and she came in later unaware that her husband was now dead and buried and she told the same lie I suspect that they got together and said now we got to keep our story straight right you the same way and we look at that and we say wow that was really harsh that was cruel that was no no listen this is making what is wrong right this is what the kingdom is all about remember when Jesus was talking to the rich young ruler back in the gospel of Luke or I don't know in my advanced age these passages move around they don't stay put like they should but anyway he was talking to the rich young ruler and he said all of these things I've kept from my youth up and Jesus said well if that's the case and you've met all those requirements then you sell all your possessions and give to the poor and come and follow me and you'll have treasure in heaven and the text says the young man went away sorrowful for he was very wealthy and wasn't willing to part with what was

[59:44] Jesus telling him Jesus was telling him listen this is the way it's going to be in the kingdom you've got all this wealth that you don't need you sell it and give it to the poor and come and follow me hey that's not the gospel of the grace of God we don't tell people today if you want to poor and follow Jesus and you have a place in the kingdom of heaven that's not our message that's not even close but it was the message then and they were fulfilling it and that's what this is all about in Acts that's what this communism thing is all about they had things in common and they were meeting those conditions and as you move on through Acts you find in Stephen's case well actually what I'm saying is this listen as the miracles continue on through the book of Acts that is proof positive that the kingdom concept to

[60:49] Israel remains alive and well and Israel continues to turn a deaf ear and while we're in chapter four yeah let's look at just a concept here because this is this is really important at the end of chapter three and beginning with chapter four when they preach this this is this is right after the healing of this man who was lame from his mother's womb and these guys just jump ahead jump ahead if you will look at verse 14 look at verse 14 or verse 13 they observed the confidence of Peter and John understood they were uneducated untrained men they were marveling and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus what a compliment what a compliment and seeing the man that was this lame man who'd been healed who had been healed standing with them they had nothing to say in reply that must have really gotten to them because they couldn't refute it they couldn't say here's the evidence right there this guy standing there on his own two feet and I'm sure he's got a grin on his face from ear to ear and the text says when they had ordered them to go aside out of the council they began to confer with one another they can't talk about what they want to do in their presence and they said we've got to dismiss ourselves from these guys you guys go over there we're going to discuss this we'll get back with you in a few minutes and they come aside and this is all ahoy polloi this is the deep state this is a portion of the deep state talking and they say what shall we do with these men hey guys how are we going to handle this what are we going to do hey they're between a rock and a hard place

[62:44] I mean the pressure is on and they've got this living living standing grinning jumping up and down evidence right there for everybody to see and it says for the fact I love that word the fact that a noteworthy miracle has taken place through them is apparent to all who live in Jerusalem and we cannot deny it the impression I get is if there was any way that we could deny it we would but we can't actually if we denied it it would make us look even more foolish because everybody knows this guy and the evidence they would consider us bonkers if we said it didn't happen so in order that it may not spread any further among the people let us warn them to speak no more to any man in this name that is in the name of

[63:46] Jesus it commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus and Peter and John answered and said whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God you be the judge of that all we know is we cannot stop speaking what we have seen and heard and they threatened them further and later on they are going to physically beat them this is Israel's ongoing official answer to the messiahship of Jesus it is no no no and no and it continues right up until the very last chapter of the book of Acts when seemingly they give their final answer and it is no we will not have this man to reign over us and the book of Acts ends pretty close to 68

[64:48] AD that's about 38 years after the death of Christ maybe 35 years after the death of Christ and Peter is gone he's been executed and Paul is gone he's been executed 68 AD the book of Acts ends fast forward two years you come to 70 AD and what appears to be God's final answer to Israel's final answer is the Romans come in and they destroy Jerusalem I mean they leveled it and they take tens of thousands of Jews into captivity for slaves and many are martyred and executed right on the spot and that appears to me to be and I cannot say this with any dogmatism but it is my suspicion that with the destruction of the temple

[66:02] God appears to be saying to Israel alright I accept your answer as final and Jerusalem is utterly destroyed and the temple and the people are carried into captivity and Israel the Jews that escape become throughout the Mediterranean world and eventually become known as the wandering Jew and this is where they are today and Romans 9 10 and 11 makes it very clear that Israel is set aside in their unbelief until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in and I beg your humble apology because I've not only taken all of my time I've taken more than my time and you don't have any time for question and answers and this defeats everything that I told you at the beginning well can we do this let's do this if you have any questions

[67:13]  I would appreciate it if you just jot them down write them down now because you'll probably not be able to remember them a month from now write down any questions any objections any questions anything that you have and next month when we meet for the last Thursday in March we will open with your questions and comments April what is this oh yeah well I just wanted to see if you were really listening and you were so thank you for your kind attention again my apologies for running over on this but if I'm not careful I get excited about this thank you