The sermons for June 5th and 12th are now available on the New Life web site.
On June 5th, Margaret Baxter talked about Faith In the Furnace. Click here to listen in your browser, here to download the mp3.
On June 12th I talked about Baptism With Power. Click here to listen in your browser, here to download the mp3.
2 On the day Pentecost was being fulfilled, all the disciples were gathered in one place. 2 Suddenly they heard the sound of a violent blast of wind rushing into the house from out of the heavenly realm. The roar of the wind was so overpowering it was all anyone could bear! 3 Then all at once a pillar of fire appeared before their eyes. It separated into tongues of fire that engulfed[ each one of them. 4 They were all filled and equipped with the Holy Spirit and were inspired to speak in tongues—empowered by the Spirit to speak in languages they had never learned!
5 Now, at that time there were Jewish worshippers who had emigrated from many different lands to live in Jerusalem. 6 When the people of the city heard the roaring sound, crowds came running to where it was coming from, stunned over what was happening, because each one could hear the disciples speaking in his or her own language. 7 Bewildered, they said to one another, “Aren’t these all Galileans? 8 So how is it that we hear them speaking in our own languages? 9 We are northeastern Iranians, northwestern Iranians, Elamites, and those from Mesopotamia,Judea, east central Turkey, the coastal areas of the Black Sea, Asia,] 10 north central Turkey, southern Turkey, Egypt, Libyans who are neighbours of Cyrene, visitors from all over the Roman Empire, both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs. 11 Yet we hear them speaking of God’s mighty wonders in our own dialects!” 12 They all stood there, dumbfounded and astonished, saying to one another, “What is this phenomenon?”
13 But others poked fun at them and said, “They’re just drunk on new wine.”
14 Peter stood up with the eleven apostles and shouted to the crowd. “Listen carefully, my fellow Jews] and residents of Jerusalem. You need to clearly understand what’s happening here. 15 These people are not drunk like you think they are, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. 16 This is the fulfilment of what was prophesied through the prophet Joel, for God says:
17 ‘This is what I will do in the last days—I will pour out my Spirit on everybody and cause your sons and daughters to prophesy, and your young men will see visions, and your old men will experience dreams from God.18 The Holy Spirit will come upon all my servants, men and women alike, and they will prophesy. 19 I will reveal startling signs and wonders in the sky above and mighty miracles on the earth below. Blood and fire and pillars of clouds will appear. 20 For the sun will be turned dark and the moon blood-red before that great and awesome appearance of the day of the Lord. 21 But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ ”
Scripture
He welcomed all who visited him, boldly proclaiming the Kingdom of God, and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ. And no one tried to stop him.
Observation
After arriving in Rome, Paul is placed under house arrest. He calls together the local Jewish leaders. He tells them that he was brought to Rome because he was falsely accused in Jerusalem and had to appeal to Caesar.
They set a time to meet with the Jewish people of Rome. Paul shows from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Messiah they have been waiting for. Some believe what Paul says, but others do not believe.
Paul continues to live in Rome for two years, proclaiming the gospel boldly to all who come to visit him.
Application
The last words of Acts summarise the whole book: Nobody can stop the gospel.
Here is Paul at the centre of the great empire, the seat of human power. He is under arrest waiting for his appeal to he heard. He seems to be in the position of weakness.
Paul was in prison, but the gospel was not. This is still true today.
There are people who try to censor the gospel and mute the church. The gospel will not be stopped because it is God’s word, God’s message of salvation.
Even the greatest power the world has seen could not quash the preaching of the gospel. Over many decades, the powers would try to eradicate christians, but they failed. In fact, it was Christ who overcame Caesar, not the other way round.
In today’s era, where those who oppose God seem to be on the rise in western nations, we need to remember that no human power has ever been able to thwart God’s Kingdom.
Prayer
Thank you Lord that you are stronger than any human opposition. Thank you for the assurance that your Kingdom will outlast all human empires. Amen.
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