If you would turn with me in
your Bible this morning to the book of Acts chapter 2. Acts
chapter 2. Now it's in Acts chapter 2 that
we have recorded on the pages of Scripture the account of God
the Father sending the Holy Spirit, the Comforter whom Christ had
promised. Acts chapter 2 also includes
the message that Peter preached that same day where 3,000 souls
were saved. Oh, that the Lord would be pleased
to save one soul this day. This was the day when those who
believed and trusted in Christ were all in one accord, according
to verse 1. And verse 4 tells us that they
were filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other
tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Verse 5 then explains,
And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men out of every
nation under heaven. Now, it's very important to understand
that when the scriptures talk about speaking in tongues, the
word interpreted tongues there comes from a Greek word called
glossiae, and that simply means language. Verse 6 shines a little
more light on the meaning of the word tongues when it says
that every man heard these folks speak in his or her own language. What we have on this day of Pentecost
was actually God's gift of the Holy Spirit which gave these
men the ability to speak and to preach the gospel in a language
that they did not know. I think verse 7 adds even more
clarity to this when it says, And they were all amazed and
marveled, saying to one another, Behold, are not all these which
speak Galileans? And how hear we every man in
our own tongue, or our own language, wherein we were born? And it's
interesting that the word translated tongue in verse 8 is actually
a different Greek word than the one used in verse 4. The original
Greek word found in verse 8 is dialectos, and it simply means
discourse or dialect or spoken communication. This would be
like me preaching to a large group of people from different
countries and nationalities, and each of them hearing me in
their own dialect or language. Now what some denominations call
today's speaking in tongues is not what occurred here on this
day. On this day, they heard from
the Spirit of God, which gave them utterance. They heard preached
in their own tongue, in their own language, the wonderful works
of God, according to verse 11. They heard the gospel preached. Now verses 9 through 11 goes
on to tell us all the different nationalities of people that
were there that day. And they were amazed as they
heard these in Jerusalem preach in their own tongue, in their
own language. Now let's read a few verses beginning
in verse 12. And they were all amazed and
were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this? And
others, mocking, said, Well, these men are full of new wine.
But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice,
and said unto them, ye men of Judea, and all ye that dwell
at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my word. For these are not drunken, as
you suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day." It's
nine o'clock in the morning. He said, but this is that which
was spoken by the prophet Joel. And it shall come to pass in
the last days, saith God, I'll pour out my spirit upon all flesh. and your sons and your daughters
shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your
old men shall dream dreams. And on my servants and on my
handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my spirit, and
they shall prophesy. And I'll show wonders in heaven
above and signs in the earth beneath, blood and fire and vapor
of smoke. and the sun shall be turned into
darkness, just as it was at the death of Christ. And he says,
and the moon into blood as it will be according to Revelation
6, verse 12. He said, before that great and
notable day of the Lord comes, speaking of the day of our Lord's
return. Now let me say so you know that
my message this morning is not intended at all to be about speaking
in tongues. Not one soul was saved that day
because men spoke in tongues, not one. But it's important to
know and understand what speaking in tongues according to the Bible
means. This amazing event was purposed
and brought about by God. And it shows and it proves to
us that you have to hear the gospel in a language you understand
to know what and who is being preached. It's the same today. We have to hear from the Holy
Spirit of God. We have to hear in the language
of God's Son. That's what Hebrews 1, verses
1 and 2 tells us. God, who at sundry or various
times, and in divers or different manners and ways, spake in time
past unto the fathers by the prophets, but hath in these last
days spoken unto us by His Son. And you'll notice there that
the word His is italicized, meaning it was added in the translation.
God hath in these last days. spoken unto us by Son, by Jesus
Christ, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also
he made the worlds. God speaks to his people in the
language of Son. This is a language that only
God's people can hear and understand. Now, why does the writer of Hebrews
here tell us that God appointed Christ heir of all things? Why
does He tell us that it was Christ who made the worlds? It's to
reveal to us that Jesus Christ is God. He is God the Son, the
second person of the triune Godhead. And in order for a sinner to
be saved, they're going to have to hear from God. Now look at
verse 21, and it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call
on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Who is it that will
be saved? Well, we know that it's the elect
of God, all that the Father chose and gave to Christ before the
world began. Who are the elect of God? You
and I don't know who they are. And people often ask silly questions
or say silly things like, well, if you believe that God only
saves the elect, then why not just preach to them? Why not
just preach to the elect? I have an easy answer to that.
I don't know who they are, but God knows. God knows who they
are. And I do know this much. According
to verse 21, the elect of God are whosoever shall call on the
name of Christ to save them. They are the ones who shall be
saved. Whosoever calls on, believes,
and trusts in Christ alone shall be saved. Oh, what great hope
we find in that. Lost sinner, there's still hope
for you. Do you see your need? Do you see who can save you?
Will you call on Him to do so? If you do, you shall be saved. No ifs, ands, or buts. You shall
be. Hold your place here in Acts
chapter 2 and turn over a few pages to Romans chapter 10 with
me. Romans chapter 10. I want you
to see this. I know you're familiar with these
verses, but let's look at them together. Romans chapter 10. Look at verse 13. Romans 10 verse
13. For whosoever, there's that word
again, for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall
be saved. How then shall they call on him
in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in
Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without
a preacher? And how shall they preach except
they be sent?" Just because a man claims to be a preacher doesn't
mean that he is. And Paul asks here, how shall
they preach except? Except what? Except they be sent. Except God send them. Oh, brothers and sisters, it's
God that gives His preachers the message. It pleased the Lord
by the foolishness of preaching, that which the world calls foolishness. And it pleased the Lord through
preaching to save them that believe. Now, apart from hearing the gospel
preach, you cannot be saved. And that's not what I say, that's
what God said. It pleased the Lord in and by
and through preaching, true preaching. Holy Ghost preaching, the preaching
of the gospel, the preaching of Christ and Him crucified. That's what saves those that
believe. Now there are at least three
things that true preaching reveals to every child of God. I've used
those three things many times. I remember Brother Mahan giving
that outline to some of us young men one day as we sat around
the table and heard him talk. The first thing is they know
that God is holy. Now I didn't say that they knew
that God was holy, but that God is holy. The scriptures say,
holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts. The whole earth is
full of His glory. You see, God never was, God always
is. Many of you know Luke Coffey.
when Luke was in high school or maybe college, I don't remember
which. The teacher or professor asked
the class, and I'm not sure I even remember what class it was, maybe
some type history class, and they were studying biblical history. I don't remember. But anyway,
the teacher asked each of the students to come up and write
on the chalkboard one word that they thought best defined God. And as you can imagine, there
was a variety of answers. Most of them wrote the word LOVE. Many wrote the word GRACIOUS. Some wrote the word FORGIVING.
Some wrote the word MERCIFUL. And those are all good adjectives
to give the Lord. But when Luke got to the chalkboard,
he wrote the word holy. You see, first and foremost,
God is holy. Now listen, God cannot love you. God cannot be gracious and merciful
to you. God cannot forgive your sin apart
from His holy justice. First and foremost, his holy
justice has to be satisfied. After everyone took their turn,
the teacher then said, okay, now I want each of you to come
back up and write two words that you feel best describes God.
And when it was Luke's second turn, he walked back to the chalkboard
and he wrote, still holy. Beloved, God is holy and God
is still holy. God is so holy that He will by
no means clear the guilty. You see, His holiness won't allow
it. God is so holy that the soul that sins, it shall surely die. God's holiness demands it. God's holiness requires it. Why, He's called the Holy God,
the Holy Lord, the Holy One. His word is called the Holy Bible,
the Holy Scriptures. We call upon His holy name. His angels, they're called holy
angels. Moses stood on holy ground. The Sabbath is called the holy
day, the holy Sabbath. Jerusalem was called the holy
city. The temple was called the holy
temple, the holy house. and we have a holy priesthood,
we are a holy nation. God's servants are called holy
men. Peter refers to holy women who
trusted in God. As we're studying in the book
of Exodus, that place in the tabernacle where the blood was
offered upon the mercy seat is called the holy place. The holy
of holies. The priest wore holy garments.
God's law is called the Holy Commandments. His messengers
of old were called the Holy Prophets. And His Spirit is called the
Holy Ghost, the Holy Spirit. God is holy. The second thing
that God's people know for certain is that they are great sinners. When Isaiah saw the Lord high,
holy, and lifted up, you remember what he said. He said, I'm undone. Do you know what the word undone
means? It means cut off. It means without hope. Isaiah
said, I'm a man with unclean lips, and I dwell among a people
of unclean lips. Isaiah went on to say, from the
sole of the feet to the top of the head, there's no soundness
in us. Isaiah went on to say that our
whole head is sick. You see, by nature, our mind
is carnal and it's void of understanding. Our whole head and the thoughts
and the imaginations are sick. Our whole heart, speaking of
our affections, our whole heart is faint and our righteousness
is as filthy rags. Oh, we're in desperate need. David, he said, my sins are ever
before me and against thee and thee only have I sinned and done
this evil in thy sight. In Psalm chapter 14, David said
that the Lord God looked down from heaven to see if there was
just one, just one that did good, but God couldn't find even one.
It says that they were all gone aside. They were all together
become filthy. Do you know what that word filthy
means? Stinking. Stinking. There was none that
doeth good. No, not one. There's none righteous,
not a single one. In Psalm chapter 39, David said
every man in his best state is altogether vanity, altogether
vain. What about Job? When he saw the
Lord and His holiness, Job said, I abhor, I hate myself. And then he went on to say that
we drink iniquity like water, and by nature we do. So I know,
as all God's people know, that I'm a wretched sinner. God is
justified and clear of any wrongdoing if He damns me and sends me to
hell. and God is clear of any injustice
if He pours His wrath and His justice out on me. Then thirdly,
God's people know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God being holy
and they being the sinners that they are, they must have a perfect
substitute, a mediator, a perfect sacrifice to stand in their room
instead. Sinners must have someone to
provide for them the perfection that God requires of them. Perfection
is the only thing that God will accept. That's what this holy
book is about. You've heard this said many times.
The Old Testament tells us that one is coming. The New Testament
tells us that one has come. The epistles tell us that one
is coming again. And friends, Jesus Christ is
that one. God said, Abraham, you take your
son, your only son, that son that you waited so long for,
that son that you love more than life itself, and you go up to
the mountain that I tell you, and you sacrifice him there to
me. You remember the story. It's
found in Genesis chapter 22. And when Abraham and Isaac and
the young men that went with them got to the mountain, Abraham
told the young men to stay. And then he said this, he said,
I and the lad will go yonder and worship and come unto you
again. Oh, what a statement of faith
and trust in God that was. Abraham, God had just told him
to sacrifice his only son, but God had also told Abraham and
promised him that the Messiah would come through the seed,
through the bloodline of his son. So Abraham knew that if
he sacrificed his son, that God would raise him up. How do we
know that? Because Isaac said, Dad, I see
the wood for the sacrifice and I see the fire of the torch. But where's the sacrifice? And
Abraham said, my son, God will provide himself a lamb for a
burnt offering. And friends, that's the gospel.
The Lord Jesus later spoke about that very day, that day that
God provided for himself a sacrifice. And that day that God provided
himself as the sacrifice. The Lord Jesus said, Abraham
rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it and was glad. Paul wrote
in Romans 4 verse 3, for what saith the scripture, Abraham
believed God, and it was accounted, it was imputed, infused to him
for righteousness. Now you're not going to hear
anything new this morning, just more of the same. Does the gospel
message of substitution bore you? Do you grow tired of hearing
how God saves sinners? Oh, the true child of God never
does. The believer constantly sings
in his heart, tell me the story of Jesus, write on my heart every
word. God imputed, and that word imputed
means saturated. permeated, infused. God infused
Abraham with His righteousness, so much so that it became His. It became a part of Him. God's
righteousness became Abraham's. And that's the case with all
who believe and trust in Christ. Oh, that God would enable us
to see that Christ's perfect righteousness is now my perfect
righteousness, as it is every believer. Oh, I wish I could
cause folks to see that. I wish I could enable sinners
to believe that. I really do. But only God can. David said, The Lord hath made
known his salvation, his righteousness hath he openly showed in the
sight of the heathen. Psalm 98 too. Are you trusting
in Christ as a lamb slain before the foundation of the world as
Abraham did? You know, it's God that provides
for Himself that Lamb, and it's God that provides Himself to
be that Lamb. It's God that is offended. Against thee and thee only have
we sinned. And it's God that must be appeased,
and you and I cannot appease Him. It's God's justice that
must be satisfied, and you and I can't satisfy Him. You know,
it's really pretty simple. Without Christ, we're doomed. Isaiah tells us that the Lord
Jesus was wounded for our transgressions and that He was bruised for our
iniquities. These were our transgressions,
not His. These were our iniquities, not
His. You see, He knew no sin. He did
no sin. He was made sin. the sin of His
people. And did you notice that the word
transgressions and iniquities are plural? Our Lord Jesus was
wounded and bruised for all His people's sin. Every single one
of them. And our perception of being wounded
and bruised just falls desperately short of how our Lord was wounded
and bruised. Mere human words could never
adequately describe or paint the true picture. He was beaten
until his face didn't even resemble a man. Isaiah says that his visage
was so marred, more than any man. Blood ran down into his
eyes from the crown of thorns that they shoved and pressed
down upon his forehead. His back had been lashed with
what many think to be a whip that they called the cat of nine
tails. It was a multiple thonged whip
which had pieces of stone and glass and even sharp edged bones
that ripped the flesh to pieces as it met against his back. Does
that seem graphic to you? I can assure you that whatever
you're picturing in your mind this very moment doesn't even
compare to how horrific it really was. Railroad spike like nails
were driven into his hands and his feet. Yet I'm telling you
that our Lord's physical wounds and sufferings don't even compare
to the pain and suffering of being forsaken of God, forsaken
of His own Father. Truly in speaking of these things,
we stand on spiritual holy ground. To think that a man would suffer
for such likes as one like me is inconceivable. But how much
more unthinkable to think that God would allow Himself to be
stricken, smitten, and afflicted. And this is God's question to
every sinner found in Lamentations 1, verse 12. Is it nothing to
you? Is it nothing to you, all ye
that pass by? Behold and see, if there be any
sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the
Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger. You
see, our Lord's pain and suffering by crucifixion is even more unimaginable
when you think about who it was that afflicted Him. It was His
own Father. God-forsaking and afflicting
God in the room and in the stead of worthless, wretched sinners. And here's our message. This
is what we preach. Back in Acts 2, look at verse
22. You men of Israel, hear these
words. Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved
of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs which God
did by Him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know. Now
did you hear what Peter said? Jesus of Nazareth was a man approved
of God, and the proof of His approval was by the miracles
and the wonders and the signs that God did by Him. Every physical
healing that our Lord did while on earth was a picture of His
people's spiritual healing. Like the man at the Pool of Bethesda
while we're lame on our feet and we can't come to God? Like
blind Bartimaeus, we're blind beggars that cannot see unless
Christ gives us sight. Like Lazarus, we're dead in trespasses
and sin and we stink in our deadness until Christ cries for us to
come forth. One day he said to me, David,
come forth. And I, who was dead, came forth.
We're blind and can't see. We're deaf and can't hear. We're lame and can't walk. Our
hands are withered and we can't work. And we're all bowed over
like that poor woman was, and we can't straighten ourselves
up. We're dead. We're without life. Where would
we be without Christ? We'd be still lost and headed
for hell. Verse 23, Our message is about Him, the
Lord Jesus, Him being delivered by the determinate counsel and
foreknowledge of God, ye, that's speaking of you and I, have taken
and by wicked hands have crucified and slain. You might say, well,
David, we weren't there. How could we have crucified the
Lord Jesus? Well, our forefathers were, and
we're just like them. We have the same blood flowing
through our veins. If we'd have been there, we would
have, with all the rest, shouted, crucify Him, crucify Him. Has God shown you that about
yourself? Oh, if He has, you're a blessed
man and woman. If you never see your sin, you'll
never need a Savior. Men with their wicked hands crucified
and slaughtered the Lord Jesus but it was by the determinate
counsel and foreknowledge of God. Isn't that what verse 23
says? God determined it, God purposed it, and God brought
it to pass. But we did it with our wicked
hands, and we're responsible. Verse 24, "...whom God hath raised
up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible
that he should be holding of it." Speaking of death, God allowed
man to have his way and he delivered the Lord Jesus under their will. But God raised him up. God loosed
the pains of death. Why? Because it wasn't possible
that death should hold a perfect man. God's justice would not
allow it. And I could go on and on. This
message that Peter preached in the power of the Holy Spirit
this day was so full of grace and truth. But I'm going to try
to get out of the way if God enabled me. And in closing, I'm
just going to read the rest of this chapter and trust the Holy
Spirit to be our teacher and our guide. Verse 25, listen carefully
to these words. For David speaketh concerning
him, This is speaking of the Messianic Psalms, chapter 16. David said in prophecy, this
is what he said, verse 25, I foresaw the Lord always before my face,
for He is on my right hand, that I should not be moved. This is
the Lord speaking through David in prophecy. Therefore did my
heart rejoice and my tongue was glad, moreover also my flesh
shall rest in hope. because thou wilt not leave my
soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see
corruption. Thou hast made known to me the
ways of life. Thou shalt make me full of joy
with thy countenance." Men and brethren, let me freely speak
unto you of the patriarch David, that he's both dead and buried.
This isn't talking about him. His sepulcher is with us unto
this day. This is talking about Christ,
not David. Verse 30, Therefore being a prophet,
and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of
the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise
up Christ to sit on his throne. And he seen this before spake
of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in
hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. This Jesus hath God
raised up, whereof we are all witnesses. Therefore, being by
the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father
the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this which
ye now see and hear. For David is not ascended unto
the heavens, but he saith himself, the Lord said unto my Lord, sit
thou on my right hand until I make thy foes thy footstool. Therefore,
all that Peter had said comes down to this. Therefore, Let
all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made
that same Jesus, that same Jesus whom you have crucified. He's
made Him both Lord and Christ. We don't make Jesus Lord. Perish
the thought. God made Him Lord, and He is
the Christ. You remember what Thomas said
when he saw his resurrected Lord? He said, My Lord and my God. Verse 37, now, when they heard
this, when they heard what? This message, this message of
Christ and Him crucified, they were pricked in their heart.
And they said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles,
Men and brethren, what shall we do? Does this message prick
your heart? Does this gospel convict you
of your sin? Do you know what you must do
to be saved? Verse 38, Then Peter said unto
them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name
of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive
the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you and
to your children, and to all that are far off, even as many
as the LORD our God shall call." Sounds to me like salvations
of the Lord. Verse 40, and with many other
words did He testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from
this untold generation. Then they that gladly received
His word were baptized. And the same day there were added
unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued steadfastly
in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of
bread and in prayers. and fear came upon every soul,
and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. And all
they believed were together, and had all things common, and
sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men as
every man had need. And they, continuing daily with
one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to
house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
praising God, and having favor with all the people, and the
Lord added to the church daily, such as should be saved." Oh,
how I rejoice that God is still adding to His church daily, such
as should be saved. Christ the Good Shepherd still
has some sheep that He must bring into the fold. This world may
presently be out of business, but not God, not the Lord Jesus
Christ. He's still calling and saving
His people. Do you hear Him calling you?
Oh, it's not with an audible voice, but with a small, still
voice within your heart. He says, if any man thirsts,
let him come unto Me and drink. He that believeth on Me, as the
Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living
water. Oh, may God be pleased to make
it so. Heavenly Father, thank you for
Christ and His perfect righteousness that you freely give to us in
Him. Lord, in these trying times,
comfort your people as only you can. Give us faith, Lord, the
faith that we need in order to never doubt you. Enable us, Lord,
to look to Christ and not within. Lord, we ask that You might be
pleased to save the lost. And we ask these things in Christ
our Lord's blessed name and for His sake. Amen.