Three enemies of the Apostolic Mandate
Text: Acts 2:1-ff
Acts 2
A Sound Like a Strong Wind
When the Feast of Pentecost came, they were all together in one
place. Without warning there was a sound like a strong wind, gale
force--no one could tell where it came from. It filled the whole
building. Then, like a wildfire, the Holy Spirit spread through
their ranks, and they started speaking in a number of different
languages as the Spirit prompted them.
There were many Jews staying in Jerusalem just then, devout
pilgrims from all over the world. When they heard the sound, they
came on the run. Then when they heard, one after another, their
own mother tongues being spoken, they were thunderstruck. They
couldn't for the life of them figure out what was going on, and
kept saying, "Aren't these all Galileans? How come we're hearing
them talk in our various mother tongues?
Parthians, Medes, and Elamites;
Visitors from Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia,
Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia,
Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene;
Immigrants from Rome, both Jews and proselytes;ytes;
Even Cretans and Arabs!
"They're speaking our languages, describing God's mighty works!"
Their heads were spinning; they couldn't make head or tail of
any of it. They talked back and forth, confused: "What's going on
here?"
Others joked, "They're drunk on cheap wine."
Peter Speaks Up
That's when Peter stood up and, backed by the other eleven,
spoke out with bold urgency: "Fellow Jews, all of you who are
visiting Jerusalem, listen carefully and get this story straight.
These people aren't drunk as some of you suspect. They haven't
had time to get drunk--it's only nine o'clock in the morning.
This is what the prophet Joel announced would happen:
"In the Last Days," God says,
"I will pour out my Spirit
on every kind of people:
Your sons will prophesy,
also your daughters;
Your young men will see visions,
your old men dream dreams.
When the time comes,
I'll pour out my Spirit
On those who serve me, men and women both,
and they'll prophesy.
I'll set wonders in the sky above
and signs on the earth below,
Blood and fire and billowing smoke,
the sun turning black and the moon blood-red,
Before the Day of the Lord arrives,
the Day tremendous and marvelous;
And whoever calls out for help
to me, God, will be saved."
"Fellow Israelites, listen carefully to these words: Jesus the
Nazarene, a man thoroughly accredited by God to you--the miracles
and wonders and signs that God did through him are common
knowledge--this Jesus, following the deliberate and
well-thought-out plan of God, was betrayed by men who took the law
into their own hands, and was handed over to you. And you pinned
him to a cross and killed him. But God untied the death ropes
and raised him up. Death was no match for him. David said it
all:
I saw God before me for all time.
Nothing can shake me; he's right by my side.
I'm glad from the inside out, ecstatic;
I've pitched my tent in the land of hope.
I know you'll never dump me in Hades;
I'll never even smell the stench of death.
You've got my feet on the life-path,
with your face shining sun-joy all around.
"Dear friends, let me be completely frank with you. Our ancestor
David is dead and buried--his tomb is in plain sight today. But
being also a prophet and knowing that God had solemnly sworn that
a descendant of his would rule his kingdom, seeing far ahead, he
talked of the resurrection of the Messiah--"no trip to Hades, no
stench of death.' This Jesus, God raised up. And every one of us
here is a witness to it. Then, raised to the heights at the
right hand of God and receiving the promise of the Holy Spirit
from the Father, he poured out the Spirit he had just received.
That is what you see and hear. For David himself did not ascend
to heaven, but he did say,
God said to my Master, "Sit at my right hand
Until I make your enemies a stool for resting your feet."
"All Israel, then, know this: There's no longer room for
doubt--God made him Master and Messiah, this Jesus whom you killed
on a cross."
Cut to the quick, those who were there listening asked Peter and
the other apostles, "Brothers! Brothers! So now what do we do?"
Peter said, "Change your life. Turn to God and be baptized, each
of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, so your sins are forgiven.
Receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is targeted to
you and your children, but also to all who are far away--whomever,
in fact, our Master God invites."
He went on in this vein for a long time, urging them over and
over, "Get out while you can; get out of this sick and stupid
culture!"
That day about three thousand took him at his word, were
baptized and were signed up. They committed themselves to the
teaching of the apostles, the life together, the common meal, and
the prayers.
Everyone around was in awe--all those wonders and signs done
through the apostles! And all the believers lived in a wonderful
harmony, holding everything in common. They sold whatever they
owned and pooled their resources so that each person's need was
met.
They followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple
followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and
joyful, as they praised God. People in general liked what they
saw. Every day their number grew as God added those who were
saved. The Message Bible Translation
In life, the most embarrassing moments of our lives are not when we are living deep in sin, but when we experience a supernatural transformation and don’t know how to explain the change in our lives because of the surprise(Confusion), Doubt, and Mockery expressed through people’s face,words and actions.
The Apostles didn’t receive such mockery in their lives like when the Holy Spirit descended upon them with the visible and audible evidence of speaking in unknown tongues.
The Bible says the visitors in Jerusalem were amazed that they could hear their languages spoken by “these Galileans”.
The Apostles confronted the following: Surprise(Confusion), Doubt and Mockery.
1. Surprise: The fact that they(Visitors) were amazed didn’t mean they were ready for salvation. Rather, they were surprise and confuse. What God meant for good; can be easily misunderstood. Such was the dilemma of the Apostles. What message has God called you minister that is causing confusion and surprise from different quarters. Acts 2:6,7
2. Doubt: The Bible says that some were in doubt. What do you do, when the very people you are sent to start doubting the grace of God upon your life? Such was the problem the Apostles encountered. That was why they asked the question, “what meaneth this thing?” certain ones are doubting your ministry, your calling, your business skills. Who is doubting you? Know that someone is doubting you. Acts 2:12 People will doubt the very anointing of God upon your life. They will doubt the very experience that birthed you into the Apostolic. What do you do at such moments? Did I hear you say you’ll quit? Yeah I thought as much. The very people you are sent to will go a step further to…
3. Mock you: Others mocking said, “They are full of new wine.” You know sometimes the power of God makes you move in a topsy-turvy state of glossolalia, speaking in unknown tongue. Yeah speaking in an apostolic mandate and language that seems foreign to their systems and mannerisms. They’ll assume and console themselves that you are uttering gibberish. Have you ever been mocked to the very bones of your existence? I mean your bones literally shivers to the extent that you’ll lose balance. Sometime, they’ll mock you as “those Jesus people.” “He claims he’s an Apostle” , “The shoes of that title are too big for him to fill.”
After the Surprise, Doubt and Mockery, what next? Just throw-in the towel? No way! Do what the Apostle Peter did below:
1. Get a company, group that believes in you. Here, Peter had the eleven Apostles and the other disciples. Acts 2:14. Partner, network and associate with people.
2. Stand Up!: But Peter standing up (with the eleven) Acts 2:14. Any statement with the word “But” makes it an exception. Are you an exception? “Standing up” makes you exceptional. Confusion/surprise, doubt and mockery couldn’t keep Peter down. I challenge you to stand up to your Apostolic calling, Apostolic anointing, Apostolic mandate. If you are not standing for something you’ll fall for everything. Peter dared to Stand up. Martin Luther, the German Reformer, while before the council of Worms also declared boldly, “here I stand”. Are you standing or bowing?
3. Lift up your voice: Next Peter lifted up his voice against the voices of surprise, doubt and mockery. Do you have a voice? Are you a voice? John the Baptist was the voice of one crying in the wilderness. So many people are echoes and not voices, echoes are reflection of sound. Are you a voice or an echo? Be an original in your utterances. The Nigerian Preacher in Ukraine Pastor Sunday Adelaja is a voice in that Country. He determines who picks the ticket for political representation in Ukraine. Are you a voice to your generation? I want to be a voice in the control of the eighth continent (Internet) the 51st State. The 21st century.
4. Say something: “Peter said unto them…” you must learn to say something. Jesus gave them a mandate from Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the uttermost part of the earth. Anyway, Peter blew it and started addressing those in Judea, but it makes never mind. The important thing is when you’ve lifted up your voice, be ready to say something. Go ahead and say something to show you’re in charge. About 3000 souls are at stake be either won into the Kingdom or your silence and cowardice will send you out of your Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria into obscurity. Jesus said in Mark 11:23, the saying part was emphasized thrice. Say something to your mountain. What are you saying to your mountain? Somebody somewhere already doubts you and your ministry. You can’t afford to doubt yourself too.
5. Start somewhere: Peter started with addressing the men of Judea and Jerusalem. Verse 14, but later on from the background when confidence grew he declared, “ Men of Israel (Verse 22) suddenly he had about 3000 souls added into the Church. When he started from somewhere, they continued steadfastly in the Apostle’s doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. When he started from somewhere, “ Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders, and signs were done through the Apostles. When Peter started from somewhere, “ All who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the Church such as should be saved. Verses 41-47
As an Apostolic generation, manifesting all the truth that concerns the Lord Jesus Christ and His Kingdom: confrontation is inevitable. Interestingly, all sectors of our lives call for confronting confusion/surprise, doubt, and mockery.
In my own life too, god has helped me to overcome strong confusions, surprises, doubts and mockery. What I don’t stand up and lift up my voice to defend, I suffer for it. Whenever I lift up my voice to speak I notice doors opening.
When I started from somewhere, it earned me credentials from USA (Ordination certificates, Church charter certificate) and an award of a Doctor of Divinity Degree from USA. And a Certificate of Inter-communion from UK. A website www.drgenesis.com , A house apartment, an office facility, clothing, Ministry opportunities and other international open doors.
Always remember to Stand up, Lift up your voice, say something and start from somewhere in order to overcome surprises, doubts and satanic induced mockery.
God be with you,
Apostle Dr. Genesis A. Dawuda
www.drgenesis.com
For Bookings E-mail: info@drgenesis.com
Or Call Phone: +234 802 806 3695
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