Today I'm Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram. I hear all the time people say, God has a plan for our lives.
Well, let me ask you, what's his plan for you? Do you know what it is? How do you discover it? And once you know it, how do you do it? That's today on Living on the Edge.
Have you ever been waiting for something and wondered, is anything actually happening?
Well, I'm Dave Druy, and today on Living on the Edge, Chip Ingram continues his series, The Jesus Revolution, with a message from Acts chapter 2. The 10 days of waiting in Jerusalem was not God being absent, it was God preparing. And on the day of Pentecost, the dam broke and the church was born.
Now, a little later in our program, we'll share details about a very special opportunity that's just getting underway. It's our mid-year match, and you won't want to miss it, so stay tuned.
Well here's Chip with a message titled, The Birth of a Movement. Do you realize that you're sitting in this seat today? Because approximately 2,000 years ago, There was a group of about 120 Christ followers. who had just seen literally Jesus ascend into heaven, And the last thing they remember he said was, don't go do anything, go to Jerusalem and wait. 120 mostly uneducated people.
They'd followed Christ for 40 days. They had had conversation. Over 500 witnesses had seen the Scars, holes in his hands. The miracles And he said, Now don't go do anything yet. What I want you to do.
is I want you to wait. And I don't know about you, but I kind of read between the lines. Peter seems like a go-getter, you know what I mean? And I'm thinking, like day one, he's thinking, okay. Day two, hmm, it's still okay.
Day four, like, I get a job. Like how long are we going to be here? And then outside those walls, I mean, Jesus was not a popular person, and his followers weren't popular, so thinking there's fear and anxiety out there, and there's hope and expectation. And then I bet like day seven or eight, they're thinking, Now let me get this right. There's 120 of us in downtown Jerusalem and we're going to take the world, right?
And then day nine, still nothing's happening. And then bang.
Something big happens. One of the most difficult things for me in my life, and probably a lot of you, is waiting. I want you to remember that God's plans are... Perfect. Just write that down.
It'll do something for your soul. Just remember, no matter where you're at, you know, God's plans are perfect. Second, God's timing is. Perfect. You may think it needs to happen now.
Guess what? Often he's preparing you for something better, something bigger, something that's really right instead of just close. And third, can you guess what God's methods are? You got it. They're perfect.
If you have your Bibles open, to X Acts chapter 2. Are you ready? This is the story. of the birth of the church. Chapter 2, verse 1.
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly, a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each one of them. All of them were filled with the Spirit and he began to speak. and other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
Now they were staying in Jerusalem. God fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. And when they heard the sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment because each of them were hearing them speaking in their own language or dialect. Utterly amazed that they ask, Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? then how is it that each of us hear them in our own language?
Parthians and Medes and Elamites, residents of Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontius, Asia, Phygeria, Pamphylia, Egypt, and parts of Libya near Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and converts, or proselytes, Gentiles who became Jews. Cretians and Arabs, and then they declare: we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues. Amazed and perplexed, they ask one another. What? What does this mean?
Like what's going on here?
Now there was a second group.
Some, however, made fun of them and said, They've had too much wine. Isn't it interesting? We're going to hear Peter's message, and his message is going to be about what? The resurrection. He's going to tell them, first of all, This thing that just occurred, where your eyes are open and your jaw is dropping, and you're hearing these wonderful works of God in your own language.
First, let me tell you why that's happening. I'm gonna explain that. Second, after you understand this phenomena that's happening. In verses 14 to 21, starting in verse 22, he has a message. And as you can see in your notes, his message is about the proof of the resurrection, and he's going to give four specific proofs.
that Jesus actually has come back from the dead and therefore What he said really is true. Let's pick up his explanation, verse 14. Then Peter stood up, right? People were going, what's going on? And others are going, they're drunk.
He stood up with the 11. He raised his voice. This is the guy that was afraid of the servant girl. The Spirit of God makes a difference, apparently. And he addressed the crowd.
Fellow Jews, and all of you here in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you. Listen carefully to what I say. These men are not drunk as you suppose. It's only 9 in the morning. No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel.
Now he quotes Joel chapter 2, verses 28 and following. In the last days, This was a promise God gave Joel. I will pour out my spirit on who? All people. All the people will be filled.
Your sons, your daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions. Your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servant, both men and women, I will pour out my spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke.
Then the sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. And everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved. Peter says two major things. He says, number one, this thing that you see, those tongues of fire, that noise, hearing in different languages. This is exactly what Joel said.
The last days have begun. The moment the Spirit comes, we are living in the last days. And then he talks about, that's what you see right now. But Joel's prophecy has sort of a near fulfillment and a longer fulfillment. He starts and says, in the last days, but at the very end, did you notice?
It says, in the glorious day of the Lord. That phrase, day of the Lord, all throughout the Old Testament, later we'll pick it up in the book of Revelation, that's the final judgment of God when Christ returns. And that's when some of these things about the sun being dark and the moon, they will happen then. And so first and foremost he says, guys, All I want you to hear is God said this would happen.
Now he starts his sermon. Beginning in verse 22, here's proof number one: the historical reality of Jesus. He's just going to start out and say, this phenomena, this event that we've had, I want you to know it's rooted in that person that about 40, 45 days ago or so, remember?
So he picks it up. He says, Men of Israel, listen to this. Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God. To you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge, and With the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.
But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. Point number one. Everything we're talking about is rooted in this historical person, Jesus, that you knew. and there were eyewitnesses, and everyone knew he did all those miracles. Point number two, they're going to say, look, this was prophesied.
The Old Testament predicted that this would happen to the Messiah. And so, what they're gonna do, they're gonna say, look, here's the Old Testament teaching about the Messiah. Over here is all the experience we've had about Jesus, and they're going to take this like a film and lay it over the prophecy and their experience, and they're going to say, Old Testament truth. Jesus One and the same.
So notice They're going to give the Old Testament prophecy from David. You know, everyone is a Jew, David was a great hero. And so, quoting Psalm 16, David said about him, speaking of the Messiah, I saw the Lord always before me. Because he's at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore, my heart is glad, and my tongue rejoices, my body.
Also, I will live in hope, because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your holy one see decay. You've made known to me the paths of life. You will fill me with joy in your presence. Brothers, Peter says he quotes that. His brothers.
I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. But he was a prophet and he knew that God had promised him on oath. that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. Seeing what was ahead, in other words, David seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay. God has raised this Jesus to life.
And we are all witnesses of this fact. And so he makes the point. It was prophesied in the Old Testament. And then his third point is there's eyewitnesses. This wasn't done in a vacuum.
He's saying there were 500 of us over the last 40 days. I mean, in any court of law, two eyewitnesses. declared it's true. There were 500 of us. In fact, see these 120 people with the fire on top of their head speaking the languages they've never learned?
Every one of them is an eyewitness. In fact, I can just tell you, ten days ago, we were outside and wow, we watched him go up. And so he's making a very, very strong case in this first sermon about why you can actually believe. That Jesus, in fact, is the Messiah, that he died, and that he rose from the grave.
Now he's going to go on. Look at verse 33. Exalted to the right hand of God, he was received from the Father and the promised Holy Spirit. has been poured out, and that is what you see and hear. For David didn't ascend to heaven, and yet he said, The Lord, Yahweh, said to my Lord Adonai, Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.
He basically is saying this event that you're seeing, it's the fourth proof. And then notice what he calls for decision. Therefore, let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified. Both Lord and Christ. And the word Lord, there you might circle in your Bible.
It's a word used for God. It's in the phrase earlier, it's references to Yahweh. And so they're making this point that Jesus was in fact. fully human, but fully God. The Yahweh of the Old Testament.
The Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit. They're making this point that He is, in fact, God and He is the waited Messiah. He was the hope of Israel. And so he speaks to them and says, guys, You got a big issue on your hands. What are you going to do with this truth?
This spirit coming is evidence of all that Jesus taught. You're listening to Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram, and we'll continue our message in just a moment.
Well, something special is happening here in June at Living on the Edge. It's a powerful mid-year match. For a limited time, every gift to this ministry will be doubled in size, meaning twice the reach, twice the impact for every dollar given. You can learn more about it at livingonthege.org, and Chip will have more details after today's message.
Now let's get back to our lesson. The lesson here is that the power is in the message, not the messenger. You know, sometimes we feel like If I could just speak better, or if I just knew more. The Apostle Paul would say in Romans 1.16, for I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it The gospel, the message, is the power of God to salvation. to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
What he's saying is that, you know what, there's a reason in God's wisdom that he picked an uneducated. Blue collar worker. Who really failed? to be the hero of the first message of the early church. Power is not in the messenger.
Power is in the message. It's not how cool you are, it's not how hip you are, it's not how much you know, it's not your personality. The power is in the gospel. If you share it, people trust Christ because the Holy Spirit prepares them and the Holy Spirit is speaking to him and God loves them. He wants your mouth, he wants your heart, he wants your hands, he wants your eyes.
He just wants you and me to love people and then to have the courage to say, Has anyone ever explained to you how to have a personal relationship with the God of heaven? Has anyone ever shared with you how you can have eternal life? That it's actually a gift that's not about religiosity, it's not about a moral code, it's not about philosophy, that God actually loves you and He made you? You know what you'll find? People will look at you and go, no, no one ever has.
Would you? And then you'll think, well, I'm a failure, and I can't say it very well. And you'll think, great, that's you and Peter. You ready to roll? Question What's keeping you from sharing his message?
I mean, God placed you in a neighborhood, God placed you in a home or with a roommate, He placed you in a job, or at least out looking for one? And you you You are the answer to someone's biggest need, their eternity. It's you. It's me.
Some of the reasons that people don't share is one, your network is if you need to be like the very best friend to some people that believe absolutely the opposite of what you believe and whose morality is the opposite often of what you know is right and they experience someone who loves them for where they're at. You don't condone that stuff. But they just scratched their head and thinking, man, I know where you're coming from. Why would you love me? Second, you need to have intentionality.
Some of us have a lot of Christian or non-Christian acquaintances, and you need some intentionality. Where is this relationship going? And maybe you give them a CD or you give them a book or you have a conversation and you ask more questions. Ask what they, where are you coming from and why and care about them. Third is maybe it's a confidence issue.
Maybe you just don't really believe the power is in the gospel. You think it's all on you. And then finally, This is the one, and I'm ashamed to admit this because after all these years, it's just fear. The fear of man. The Bible says the fear of man is a snare, but blessed Happy is the person who trusts in the Lord.
I still have times where I realize this is an opportunity and like I'm really afraid of what this person's going to think of me. Or to be rejected. And then later, I think. Why? You're telling someone there's a God who cares and loves them, who died for them.
So so what is it? And I realize it's just Paul said he wasn't ashamed. I think a lot of Christians are ashamed of the gospel. They kind of want to have this relationship over here, but you know, I don't want to go too public with this. I'm glad someone went public and told me, aren't you?
Third. The Holy Spirit. Implanted eternal life of Jesus within all who repented and believed Christ as Lord and Messiah. Jesus wisdom first, he sends the Holy Spirit. This phenomenon occurs.
Second, he places in the mouth of this failure who's uneducated this amazing message. And after he gives this amazing message, he reminds us. That every one of us this week needs to tell one person about Jesus. At some point, where every act, just tell one person that Jesus loves them and cares for them. and look for an opportunity as ever short or long as that may go.
And then, third, what happened was those people who heard the message and repented, the word just means to change your mind. Classical Greek, it meant just intellectually, to change your mind. Bikoine Greek, it meant to change your mind with the sense of sorrow that led to a change of behavior.
So, those people thought Jesus was just an itinerant preacher. They need to change their mind. He's the Messiah. He's the hope of the world. Repentance is going down and thinking, my life goal is down 85 South.
And you're driving 85 south, and God says, you know what? You got the wrong life goal. It's 85 north. You know what repentance is? You get off.
Go for the overpass, now you're on 85 North. You do a U-turn. God brought some of you in this room today to do a U-turn. And whether you recognize it or not, you think success or just that person or enough money or this or that is going to deliver the significance and security and make you a somebody. And God's saying, I brought you in this room to do a U-turn.
I have already made you a somebody, and I love you, and I'll fill you with my spirit, and I'll give you life. But you got to repent. You got to change your mind about me. What the Scripture says is that the moment you turn from your sin and trust in him, you're justified by faith. And that means all the sin in your column gets deleted, and all the righteousness of Christ gets imputed.
So that the God of heaven the Father looks on you through what Christ has done, and you're righteous in His sight. and you're born again.
So you know what's happened here? The church is born. The church is born. In fact, listen, listen to what happens. Pick it up at verse 37.
When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart. Literally, it means they were stung. It was like being stunned with a gun. And they said to Peter and to the other apostles, brothers, what shall we do? Peter said, Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, so that your sins may be forgiven.
and you'll receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off. For all whom the Lord our God will call. And then, with many other words, he warned them and he pleaded with them: Save yourselves from this corrupt generation. And those who accepted his message were baptized.
and about 3,000 were added. That day. And so what happened was the church is born. And if you have the Spirit of God, you're a part of this new thing called the church. Romans 8:9 says, However, you're not in the flesh, but in the Spirit.
If indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he doesn't belong to him. See, if you don't have the Spirit of Christ living in you, you don't belong to Him. The second thing this happened is this was the Spirit's baptism. Remember he said, John will baptize with water.
I will baptize with the Holy Spirit. The Apostle Paul would later look back and say, For by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body, whether Jew or Greek, whether slave or free. We were all made to drink one Spirit. Baptism, the word has a literal meaning and a figurative meaning. Literally, the word just means to immerse or to dip.
Figuratively, it means to identify with someone.
So when Peter is telling these people, repent, change your mind, and not that baptism saved them, he's saying, your new identity, you need to go public. And so now they're going to be baptized and have to declare that their former thinking was wrong, and they're going to identify and literally be placed. into this new supernatural community. Call the church. This is Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram and the birth of a movement.
But before we wrap up today, Chip has something important to share about the mid-year match, so stay with us. You can hear this message again or catch any program in the Jesus Revolution series on the Living on the Edge podcast. And for Chip's sermons the way they were originally preached, start to finish, subscribe to the Chip Ingram Sermon Podcast today. Think about what it took for Pentecost to happen. 10 days of waiting, unlikely people, no strategy, no budget, no platform, just prayer and a promise.
And when God moved, no one in the crowd could explain it away. Chip's point today cuts right to the heart of it. This is what God can do when his people stop trying to manufacture momentum and simply show up, stay together, and trust him to move. That's still the plan. And here's Chip to tell you how Living on the Edge is helping people do exactly that all around the world.
Was there a season when you couldn't get enough of God's Word? When prayer felt like a real conversation, when you were genuinely excited about being a part of a church, And then somewhere along the way, Life happened. and the fire got quiet. I want you to know today. that God is speaking to you.
that the door is still open. The movement is still moving. And Jesus is still calling. You know, in Acts chapter 3 and 4, I show how Jesus kept drawing people back. Broken people, doubting people, people who had every reason to walk away.
and that same spirit who moved then? is moving now. I want you to know that Jesus Revolution is my invitation to you. to come back in. Not to religion, not to routine, but to the real, living, spirit-powered relationship that Jesus offers to each and every one of us.
And here's what I love about this moment, the way back in. and the way forward are the same road. If your heart is stirring right now, that's not an accident. Step back into the movement. And if God leads you, seal it with the gift this June.
And I say that because Jesus taught that wherever our money goes, our heart follows. I'll never forget years ago, I was reading through the Psalms and realized I kept reading about God's heart for orphans and He cares about them. And in an honest moment, I realized I really didn't care about orphans. I didn't care at all. And so I have a friend that reaches out to orphans and has built amazing things in Zimbabwe.
And I started giving a little. And then Teresa and I started giving each month. And then when God provided some bigger gifts, And what I realized was as my money went to where I knew I wanted it to be, God got my heart there as well. And so I This isn't about us getting your money other than to help other people. But if God is speaking to you, take some step.
Cause here's what I want you to know. The door is open. And Jesus is saying to you, Come on in. Let's get back together. Let's walk together.
If Chip's words just described where you are, take a step toward that open door. Right now, every gift you send to Living on the Edge is being matched dollar for dollar through our mid-year match. Seal your decision with a gift of any amount. Go online to livingonthege.org or call us at 888-333-6003. Your generosity this June goes twice as far as it does any other time of year.
That's twice the broadcasts, twice the resources, twice the moments where someone hears the truth at exactly the right time. Again, just go to livingontheedge.org or call us at 888-333-6003 to give today. I'm Dave Druy coming up part two of the birth of a movement, 3,000 people in one afternoon and a community unlike anything the world had ever seen. That's next time on Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram. Yeah.
Today's program is produced and sponsored by Living on the Edge. Uh
