1 00:00:05,042 --> 00:00:06,333 Howdy, Pastor Mark here. 2 00:00:06,375 --> 00:00:09,708 I wanted to say thanks for tuning in and joining us for our sermon series. 3 00:00:09,792 --> 00:00:11,417 We're currently in the Book of Acts. 4 00:00:11,500 --> 00:00:14,500 We're actually going to take a chunk every year after Easter 5 00:00:14,583 --> 00:00:16,875 for the next number of years. 6 00:00:16,958 --> 00:00:19,500 And for those of you who pray for me or for us, 7 00:00:19,583 --> 00:00:23,583 those of you who give to the church, want to say thank you very, very much. 8 00:00:23,667 --> 00:00:25,625 For those of you who'd like to get connected 9 00:00:25,667 --> 00:00:27,917 and be part of the extended Mars Hill family, 10 00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:32,375 go to marshill.com/global, we'll sign you up for a "connect" account. 11 00:00:32,458 --> 00:00:34,333 That'll get you some free resources 12 00:00:34,375 --> 00:00:37,292 and allow you to know what's going on at Mars Hill. 13 00:00:37,333 --> 00:00:41,000 In addition you can also find the study guide for the "Acts" series. 14 00:00:41,083 --> 00:00:44,417 It was put together by a team right here at Mars Hill church. 15 00:00:44,500 --> 00:00:46,000 We've made it very inexpensive. 16 00:00:46,083 --> 00:00:48,917 Any of the proceeds come back to the church, not to me. 17 00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:51,500 And we'd love to have you do a deep study 18 00:00:51,583 --> 00:00:53,667 with us through the Book of Acts. 19 00:00:53,750 --> 00:00:55,708 So we love you, we appreciate you, thank you, 20 00:00:55,792 --> 00:00:58,083 and thanks for signing up for a global account. 21 00:01:03,750 --> 00:01:05,333 Howdy, Mars Hill. Pastor Mark here. 22 00:01:05,417 --> 00:01:08,375 I'm really excited to introduce Pastor Dave Bruskas. 23 00:01:08,458 --> 00:01:10,375 Many of you know him and love him. 24 00:01:10,458 --> 00:01:12,583 He's our teaching and network pastor. 25 00:01:12,667 --> 00:01:16,375 All of the lead pastors have as their pastor 26 00:01:16,458 --> 00:01:19,167 Pastor Dave Bruskas, and he oversees 27 00:01:19,250 --> 00:01:22,167 all of the ministry side of Mars Hill Church. 28 00:01:22,250 --> 00:01:24,292 He's got a beautiful family. 29 00:01:24,333 --> 00:01:26,667 His wife, Kara, is a sweet friend to Grace. 30 00:01:26,708 --> 00:01:29,875 We love and enjoy her very much. And they have got absolutely 31 00:01:29,958 --> 00:01:33,667 adorable, sweet, happy, cute, godly daughters. 32 00:01:33,750 --> 00:01:35,875 This is a beautiful family. 33 00:01:35,958 --> 00:01:38,875 Pastor Dave is very much a blessing. 34 00:01:38,958 --> 00:01:41,333 He has pastored at a great number 35 00:01:41,417 --> 00:01:43,542 of very successful churches. 36 00:01:43,625 --> 00:01:46,292 He's been involved in some church plants as well, 37 00:01:46,333 --> 00:01:48,583 and he planted City on a Hill Church 38 00:01:48,667 --> 00:01:51,958 some years ago in Albuquerque, New Mexico. 39 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:54,875 And as we got to know Pastor Dave, 40 00:01:54,958 --> 00:01:58,500 it seemed like they should become a Mars Hill Church, 41 00:01:58,542 --> 00:02:02,667 and they took that step in becoming Mars Hill Albuquerque. 42 00:02:02,708 --> 00:02:06,792 And so that was our first out-of-state Mars Hill Church 43 00:02:06,833 --> 00:02:09,167 which has paved the way for Orange County, 44 00:02:09,250 --> 00:02:12,000 Portland, and, we hope and pray, others to come. 45 00:02:12,042 --> 00:02:15,792 Pastor Dave has since joined the senior leadership of Mars Hill 46 00:02:15,833 --> 00:02:19,000 as an executive pastor, along with Pastor Sutton Turner 47 00:02:19,042 --> 00:02:21,500 and myself. And together, we're the three amigos 48 00:02:21,542 --> 00:02:23,583 that are always together doing something 49 00:02:23,667 --> 00:02:25,500 and traveling and loving and serving 50 00:02:25,542 --> 00:02:28,167 and working on Mars Hill, 'cause you guys are the best, 51 00:02:28,250 --> 00:02:30,167 and we want the best for you. 52 00:02:30,250 --> 00:02:33,292 And so, I'm very honored to have Pastor Dave teach. 53 00:02:33,333 --> 00:02:35,458 He's a very gifted Bible teacher, 54 00:02:35,500 --> 00:02:38,542 formally theologically trained, lots and lots of years 55 00:02:38,625 --> 00:02:41,042 in the pulpit, and won the preaching award 56 00:02:41,125 --> 00:02:43,000 at Dallas Theological Seminary 57 00:02:43,042 --> 00:02:46,167 as the finest preacher in his graduating class-- 58 00:02:46,208 --> 00:02:48,083 from a school that is known for producing 59 00:02:48,167 --> 00:02:50,167 a lot of good Bible teachers. 60 00:02:50,208 --> 00:02:51,792 He's a humble man. 61 00:02:51,833 --> 00:02:53,875 He's a man that I love and trust. 62 00:02:53,958 --> 00:02:56,333 He's a man that I consider a very dear friend. 63 00:02:56,417 --> 00:02:59,042 And over the years, I have been, quite frankly, 64 00:02:59,125 --> 00:03:03,542 hesitant to have people preach across all of Mars Hill 65 00:03:03,625 --> 00:03:06,375 for a variety of reasons, 66 00:03:06,458 --> 00:03:08,833 not least of which is, I wanted to know that 67 00:03:08,917 --> 00:03:11,500 they loved you with a father's love and they were committed 68 00:03:11,542 --> 00:03:16,292 to you and not just using you to build a platform for themselves. 69 00:03:16,333 --> 00:03:18,750 Pastor Dave's heart is a father's heart. 70 00:03:18,833 --> 00:03:20,542 He loves you very much. 71 00:03:20,625 --> 00:03:23,667 He serves tirelessly for the well-being of our church, 72 00:03:23,708 --> 00:03:25,375 and I trust him. 73 00:03:25,458 --> 00:03:28,167 And so, it's a real honor today to have him teach, 74 00:03:28,208 --> 00:03:30,958 and I would just encourage you to give him your attention, 75 00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:34,167 to keep your ears open, to keep your Bible open, and see what 76 00:03:34,208 --> 00:03:36,667 the Holy Spirit would have for you through my friend 77 00:03:36,750 --> 00:03:39,333 and your pastor, Dave Bruskas. 78 00:03:41,125 --> 00:03:47,042 What does Jesus' mission look like here? 79 00:03:47,125 --> 00:03:50,458 What's his mission here? 80 00:03:50,500 --> 00:03:54,583 What does Jesus' mission look like here? 81 00:03:54,667 --> 00:03:59,292 What does Jesus' mission look like here? 82 00:03:59,333 --> 00:04:02,875 What is Jesus' mission here? 83 00:04:02,958 --> 00:04:05,917 How do I know what Jesus' mission is? 84 00:04:09,458 --> 00:04:11,500 At Mars Hill Church, 85 00:04:11,542 --> 00:04:16,292 we love Spirit-empowered preaching. 86 00:04:16,333 --> 00:04:19,583 At Mars Hill Church, we love Spirit-empowered preaching 87 00:04:19,667 --> 00:04:21,167 because through it, 88 00:04:21,250 --> 00:04:24,333 non-Christians become Christians. 89 00:04:24,417 --> 00:04:28,083 At Mars Hill Church, we love Spirit-empowered preaching 90 00:04:28,167 --> 00:04:31,083 because through it, non-Christians become Christians 91 00:04:31,167 --> 00:04:34,500 and Christians become more like Jesus. 92 00:04:34,542 --> 00:04:39,833 At Mars Hill Church, we love Spirit-empowered preaching 93 00:04:39,917 --> 00:04:42,667 because through it, non-Christians become 94 00:04:42,708 --> 00:04:46,583 Christians, Christians become more like Jesus, 95 00:04:46,667 --> 00:04:49,875 and the mission of Jesus moves forward. 96 00:04:49,958 --> 00:04:56,250 At Mars Hill Church, we love Spirit-empowered preaching. 97 00:04:56,333 --> 00:05:01,042 But what exactly is Spirit-empowered preaching? 98 00:05:01,125 --> 00:05:03,167 I'm so glad you asked that question, 99 00:05:03,250 --> 00:05:05,500 because we are going to spend our day today 100 00:05:05,542 --> 00:05:07,875 talking and discussing and defining 101 00:05:07,958 --> 00:05:10,250 Spirit-empowered preaching. 102 00:05:10,333 --> 00:05:12,875 I want to invite you again to turn in your Bibles 103 00:05:12,958 --> 00:05:14,542 to Acts chapter 2. 104 00:05:14,625 --> 00:05:18,458 We are going to look at the very first sermon ever preached 105 00:05:18,500 --> 00:05:20,500 in the New Testament church. 106 00:05:20,542 --> 00:05:23,583 Interesting today that we're going to listen to a sermon 107 00:05:23,667 --> 00:05:27,583 about another sermon, and as we continue our series 108 00:05:27,667 --> 00:05:29,542 in the book of Acts 109 00:05:29,625 --> 00:05:31,792 and the mission of Jesus is unfolded through 110 00:05:31,833 --> 00:05:33,667 the empowering of the Holy Spirit, 111 00:05:33,750 --> 00:05:36,167 I want us to look at the distinguishing marks, 112 00:05:36,208 --> 00:05:38,250 the distinguishing characteristics, 113 00:05:38,333 --> 00:05:41,042 of Spirit-empowered preaching. 114 00:05:41,125 --> 00:05:44,042 Before we do anything else, how about we stop and pray 115 00:05:44,125 --> 00:05:47,167 and I invite the Holy Spirit to empower this message? 116 00:05:47,250 --> 00:05:48,667 Will you pray with me? 117 00:05:48,750 --> 00:05:52,292 Father, you are a good, kind Father. 118 00:05:52,333 --> 00:05:54,875 You love us with all the love that you have 119 00:05:54,958 --> 00:05:57,000 for your Son Jesus. 120 00:05:57,042 --> 00:05:59,500 Father, you're the one who called this meeting today, 121 00:05:59,542 --> 00:06:03,750 and you're the one who has gathered us, and we thank you. 122 00:06:03,833 --> 00:06:06,667 Jesus, thank you that you being eternally God, 123 00:06:06,750 --> 00:06:11,375 you being worthy of worship, that you being without beginning 124 00:06:11,458 --> 00:06:15,792 or end, you humbled yourself and you came into our world. 125 00:06:15,833 --> 00:06:17,583 You were born into your world. 126 00:06:17,667 --> 00:06:19,667 You walked our earth. 127 00:06:19,750 --> 00:06:24,875 Jesus, you lived the only perfect life that's ever been lived, 128 00:06:24,958 --> 00:06:27,792 and you died an unjust death. 129 00:06:27,833 --> 00:06:30,833 You took our sin upon you, and you absorbed the wrath 130 00:06:30,917 --> 00:06:34,583 that we deserve to experience, and you died on the cross, 131 00:06:34,667 --> 00:06:36,375 and you were buried. 132 00:06:36,458 --> 00:06:38,167 Oh, but Lord Jesus, thank you 133 00:06:38,250 --> 00:06:40,083 that you didn't stay in the grave. 134 00:06:40,167 --> 00:06:42,250 Thank you that you are risen from the dead, 135 00:06:42,333 --> 00:06:45,375 that you've conquered sin and Satan and death, 136 00:06:45,458 --> 00:06:48,167 and you're at the right hand of the Father this morning. 137 00:06:48,208 --> 00:06:50,667 You are worthy of all our worship. 138 00:06:50,708 --> 00:06:54,000 Father and Son, thank you for sending the Holy Spirit. 139 00:06:54,042 --> 00:06:58,333 Holy Spirit, I first pray that you would empower the preaching 140 00:06:58,417 --> 00:07:01,125 of your Word this morning. 141 00:07:01,167 --> 00:07:06,333 Holy Spirit, I pray that you would take those who are with us 142 00:07:06,417 --> 00:07:09,750 who don't yet know Jesus, introduce them to Jesus. 143 00:07:09,833 --> 00:07:12,667 I pray for those of us who know Jesus, that through 144 00:07:12,708 --> 00:07:18,083 the proclamation of the Bible, you will become more like Jesus. 145 00:07:18,167 --> 00:07:21,167 Holy Spirit, I pray that you would empower the mission of 146 00:07:21,208 --> 00:07:25,083 Jesus, that it may move forward in our time, in our day, 147 00:07:25,167 --> 00:07:27,042 in our age, in our world. 148 00:07:27,125 --> 00:07:32,167 All this we ask, for the glory of Jesus and his good name, amen. 149 00:07:32,208 --> 00:07:34,375 Look, if you will, at Acts chapter 2. 150 00:07:34,458 --> 00:07:36,500 We're going to begin in verse 14. 151 00:07:36,542 --> 00:07:39,667 Let me give you some background so that you will know exactly 152 00:07:39,750 --> 00:07:41,667 what just happened. 153 00:07:41,708 --> 00:07:45,083 As we studied last week in the book of Acts, 154 00:07:45,167 --> 00:07:49,042 Jesus told his disciples, and he told them about the mission 155 00:07:49,125 --> 00:07:52,000 they were going to go on. Then he asked them to pray 156 00:07:52,042 --> 00:07:53,500 and wait for the Holy Spirit. 157 00:07:53,542 --> 00:07:56,167 And the Holy Spirit has now come upon them in power. 158 00:07:56,250 --> 00:07:57,792 It's Pentecost. 159 00:07:57,833 --> 00:08:00,708 It's a religious festival in Jerusalem where the devout Jews 160 00:08:00,792 --> 00:08:03,083 from all over the Middle East have gathered. 161 00:08:03,167 --> 00:08:06,167 Many pilgrims have come to Jerusalem, and as the Holy Spirit 162 00:08:06,208 --> 00:08:09,167 was poured out upon the disciples of Jesus, 163 00:08:09,250 --> 00:08:12,583 120 in all, they were filled with the Holy Spirit. 164 00:08:12,667 --> 00:08:14,750 And as they were filled with the Holy Spirit, 165 00:08:14,833 --> 00:08:16,667 they began to speak in known languages, 166 00:08:16,750 --> 00:08:19,375 the languages that represented the native tongues 167 00:08:19,458 --> 00:08:20,875 of all the pilgrims. 168 00:08:20,958 --> 00:08:23,542 And so, this amazing scene has unfolded. 169 00:08:23,625 --> 00:08:25,250 It's a chaotic scene. 170 00:08:25,333 --> 00:08:28,292 It's a confusing scene, and there are those who are observing this 171 00:08:28,333 --> 00:08:31,667 scene, looking and are convinced that something supernatural 172 00:08:31,750 --> 00:08:33,500 is happening. 173 00:08:33,542 --> 00:08:35,875 As in every crowd, there are cynics watching this unfold 174 00:08:35,958 --> 00:08:38,667 and they have concluded that those who are being filled by 175 00:08:38,750 --> 00:08:41,000 the Holy Spirit are merely drunk. 176 00:08:41,042 --> 00:08:43,833 They're watching a mob become drunk. 177 00:08:43,917 --> 00:08:46,000 And then there are those who are just confused. 178 00:08:46,042 --> 00:08:49,500 So, in the midst of that chaos, in the midst of that confusion, 179 00:08:49,542 --> 00:08:52,167 the Apostle Peter stands up, and he begins to preach. 180 00:08:52,208 --> 00:08:57,042 Acts chapter 2, verse 14--I want you to see as we begin to define 181 00:08:57,125 --> 00:08:59,167 what is Spirit-empowered preaching, 182 00:08:59,208 --> 00:09:02,750 that Spirit-empowered preaching is first biblical. 183 00:09:02,833 --> 00:09:05,458 "But Peter, standing with the eleven, 184 00:09:05,500 --> 00:09:09,167 "lifted up his voice and addressed them: 185 00:09:09,250 --> 00:09:12,792 "'Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, 186 00:09:12,833 --> 00:09:16,667 "'let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. 187 00:09:16,750 --> 00:09:20,667 "'For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, 188 00:09:20,750 --> 00:09:24,458 since it is only the third hour of the day.'" 189 00:09:24,500 --> 00:09:27,792 Peter begins with reason explaining what's going on, 190 00:09:27,833 --> 00:09:30,583 and he makes the claim since it's only the third hour 191 00:09:30,667 --> 00:09:33,000 of the day, 9 a.m. in Jerusalem, 192 00:09:33,042 --> 00:09:34,792 these people can't be drunk. 193 00:09:34,833 --> 00:09:36,875 Now, in my hometown of Albuquerque, New Mexico, 194 00:09:36,958 --> 00:09:39,583 that's not a very convincing statement. 195 00:09:39,667 --> 00:09:43,083 I love you, Albuquerque, but you know how you are. 196 00:09:43,167 --> 00:09:45,292 But in Jerusalem, it'd be quite unusual, 197 00:09:45,333 --> 00:09:48,500 especially during this festival of Pentecost, to see drunk people 198 00:09:48,542 --> 00:09:50,792 walking around, particularly at 9 a.m., 199 00:09:50,833 --> 00:09:53,500 because at 9 a.m. prayers began. 200 00:09:53,542 --> 00:09:56,458 Official prayers began, and most pilgrims and most adherents to 201 00:09:56,500 --> 00:09:59,458 Judaism didn't even eat until after the morning prayers 202 00:09:59,500 --> 00:10:01,083 were finished. 203 00:10:01,167 --> 00:10:04,125 But now Peter is going to move from a rational argument 204 00:10:04,167 --> 00:10:05,833 to a biblical argument. 205 00:10:05,875 --> 00:10:07,917 He's going to explain exactly what's happening 206 00:10:08,000 --> 00:10:09,417 through the lens of the Bible. 207 00:10:09,500 --> 00:10:13,208 Verse 16, "But this is what was uttered through 208 00:10:13,292 --> 00:10:17,917 the prophet Joel"--and he quotes directly Joel chapter 2-- 209 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:21,125 "And in the last days it shall be, God declares, 210 00:10:21,167 --> 00:10:25,000 "I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, 211 00:10:25,042 --> 00:10:28,625 "and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, 212 00:10:28,667 --> 00:10:30,917 "and your young men shall see visions, 213 00:10:31,000 --> 00:10:33,208 "and your old men shall dream dreams; 214 00:10:33,292 --> 00:10:37,625 "even on my male servants and female servants in those days 215 00:10:37,667 --> 00:10:41,333 "I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. 216 00:10:41,375 --> 00:10:44,333 "And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs 217 00:10:44,375 --> 00:10:48,833 "on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; 218 00:10:48,875 --> 00:10:51,833 "the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, 219 00:10:51,875 --> 00:10:53,917 "before the day of the Lord comes, 220 00:10:54,000 --> 00:10:56,208 "that great and magnificent day. 221 00:10:56,292 --> 00:10:59,417 "And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name 222 00:10:59,500 --> 00:11:04,000 of the Lord shall be saved." 223 00:11:04,042 --> 00:11:08,333 Peter takes in this scene that's unfolding in front of him, 224 00:11:08,417 --> 00:11:12,375 this controversial, chaotic, confusing scene, 225 00:11:12,458 --> 00:11:16,375 and he explains it through the lens of the Bible. 226 00:11:16,458 --> 00:11:20,167 Spirit-empowered preaching is biblical. 227 00:11:20,250 --> 00:11:22,875 The Holy Spirit loves the Bible. 228 00:11:22,958 --> 00:11:25,167 The Holy Spirit, according to the Bible, 229 00:11:25,250 --> 00:11:27,083 has two roles in the Bible. 230 00:11:27,167 --> 00:11:30,458 First of all, he's inspired the Bible. 231 00:11:30,500 --> 00:11:34,000 It's through the ministry of the Holy Spirit that human authors 232 00:11:34,042 --> 00:11:37,750 record the words of the Bible and Scripture teaches us that 233 00:11:37,833 --> 00:11:41,167 those words that are recorded are the very words of God. 234 00:11:41,250 --> 00:11:45,167 So, the Holy Spirit is the one who inspires the Bible. 235 00:11:45,250 --> 00:11:48,958 But the Holy Spirit also illuminates the Bible. 236 00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:52,292 The Holy Spirit works among those who belong to Jesus 237 00:11:52,333 --> 00:11:55,583 in such a way that when we read the Bible, 238 00:11:55,667 --> 00:11:57,583 when we study the Bible, 239 00:11:57,667 --> 00:11:59,792 when we speak and preach the Bible, 240 00:11:59,833 --> 00:12:03,667 when we hear the Bible, the Bible makes sense. 241 00:12:03,750 --> 00:12:07,875 And what Peter is doing is he's taking these unusual 242 00:12:07,958 --> 00:12:12,375 circumstances that are unfolding and he's using the Bible 243 00:12:12,458 --> 00:12:14,667 to interpret the experience. 244 00:12:14,708 --> 00:12:16,375 That's important to know. 245 00:12:16,458 --> 00:12:19,333 We don't interrupt the Bible through our own experience, 246 00:12:19,417 --> 00:12:23,167 but instead, we allow the Bible to interpret our experience. 247 00:12:23,208 --> 00:12:25,667 The reason we do this is because we live in 248 00:12:25,750 --> 00:12:27,667 a very confusing world. 249 00:12:27,708 --> 00:12:30,875 We have a distorted perspective that the Bible teaches that 250 00:12:30,958 --> 00:12:35,375 everyone who was born after Adam and Eve is contaminated with sin 251 00:12:35,458 --> 00:12:39,042 and rebellion and treason towards God and the residue 252 00:12:39,125 --> 00:12:44,250 of our sin is that we live in a distorted reality. 253 00:12:44,333 --> 00:12:46,792 Not only is our reality distorted, 254 00:12:46,833 --> 00:12:49,833 there are demonic spirits who can take experiences 255 00:12:49,917 --> 00:12:52,500 and then use them to confuse us. 256 00:12:52,542 --> 00:12:55,667 And what we ultimately need is we need God to speak from his 257 00:12:55,708 --> 00:12:58,667 perspective on what's reality and what's important. 258 00:12:58,750 --> 00:13:00,958 And that's exactly what Peter is doing here. 259 00:13:01,000 --> 00:13:02,500 What Peter is saying is, 260 00:13:02,583 --> 00:13:05,042 "This is what the Bible said would happen." 261 00:13:05,125 --> 00:13:08,542 The prophet Joel, who prophesied about 800 B.C., 262 00:13:08,625 --> 00:13:11,458 almost 900 years prior to this experience, 263 00:13:11,500 --> 00:13:12,875 Peter is saying, 264 00:13:12,958 --> 00:13:16,042 "This is exactly what the Bible said would happen. 265 00:13:16,125 --> 00:13:18,375 "All that God has promised to his people 266 00:13:18,458 --> 00:13:21,375 "is coming to fulfillment today in the Holy Spirit 267 00:13:21,458 --> 00:13:23,000 being poured out." 268 00:13:23,042 --> 00:13:25,792 He's saying to the people, "We're living in the last days. 269 00:13:25,833 --> 00:13:28,333 "The last days have begun, and what you're seeing 270 00:13:28,417 --> 00:13:30,583 is exactly what the Bible said would happen." 271 00:13:30,667 --> 00:13:32,792 People are speaking in tongues. 272 00:13:32,833 --> 00:13:35,042 People are filled with the Holy Spirit. 273 00:13:35,125 --> 00:13:37,167 And the Holy Spirit isn't restricted 274 00:13:37,250 --> 00:13:40,042 to any class of persons. 275 00:13:40,125 --> 00:13:43,167 The Holy Spirit isn't specific to gender classes, 276 00:13:43,208 --> 00:13:46,083 because women and men are prophesying. 277 00:13:46,167 --> 00:13:50,792 The Holy Spirit isn't restricted to categories of socioeconomic 278 00:13:50,833 --> 00:13:53,667 class, because servants, along with those who are wealthy, 279 00:13:53,750 --> 00:13:57,042 are filled with the Holy Spirit and they're speaking in tongues. 280 00:13:57,125 --> 00:14:01,042 The Holy Spirit isn't restricted to simply those who are older, 281 00:14:01,125 --> 00:14:05,083 because the Holy Spirit is working and filling those 282 00:14:05,167 --> 00:14:08,000 who are old and young. 283 00:14:08,042 --> 00:14:11,667 And Peter explains the experience of what is happening 284 00:14:11,750 --> 00:14:14,375 through the perspective of the Bible. 285 00:14:14,458 --> 00:14:18,667 Peter is interpreting our experience through the Bible. 286 00:14:18,750 --> 00:14:24,083 That's the essence of Spirit-empowered preaching. 287 00:14:24,167 --> 00:14:28,083 I don't know about you, but I'm a kinesthetic learner, and if 288 00:14:28,167 --> 00:14:32,500 I'm going to really devote my energies mentally to studying, 289 00:14:32,542 --> 00:14:34,875 to writing, I have to be in a place 290 00:14:34,958 --> 00:14:36,833 that's a little bit busy. 291 00:14:36,917 --> 00:14:40,833 And I tend to study and read and write in coffee shops. 292 00:14:40,917 --> 00:14:44,667 If you were to say to me, "Go in that room all by yourself 293 00:14:44,750 --> 00:14:48,833 and focus and study and prepare to preach," 294 00:14:48,917 --> 00:14:51,167 you would be doing nothing other than condemning me 295 00:14:51,250 --> 00:14:52,583 to take a nap. 296 00:14:52,667 --> 00:14:54,167 That's all that would happen. 297 00:14:54,250 --> 00:14:57,500 I need some kind of activity going around me to spur me on 298 00:14:57,542 --> 00:14:58,958 to think deeply. 299 00:14:59,000 --> 00:15:02,542 So, I'm in a coffee shop, and I'm working on a book I'm writing, 300 00:15:02,625 --> 00:15:05,083 and I'm preparing for this message today 301 00:15:05,167 --> 00:15:07,833 and happen to be eavesdropping-- 302 00:15:07,917 --> 00:15:09,375 I'm multitasking-- 303 00:15:09,458 --> 00:15:11,292 I'm eavesdropping on a conversation that's happening 304 00:15:11,333 --> 00:15:13,792 at the table next to me: two preachers, go figure, 305 00:15:13,833 --> 00:15:17,500 two preachers talking about the person and work of Jesus. 306 00:15:17,542 --> 00:15:19,833 And quite honestly, it's fascinating because 307 00:15:19,917 --> 00:15:22,458 they're coming from very different perspectives. 308 00:15:22,500 --> 00:15:24,958 And at one point, one of the preachers is frustrated 309 00:15:25,000 --> 00:15:27,833 to the point that he begins to push away from the table 310 00:15:27,917 --> 00:15:29,542 and stand up, lean over the table 311 00:15:29,625 --> 00:15:32,542 and says to the other preacher, "The Bible says--" 312 00:15:32,625 --> 00:15:34,292 And at that point, the other preacher 313 00:15:34,333 --> 00:15:36,792 listening to his argument puts his hand in his face 314 00:15:36,833 --> 00:15:39,167 and says, "Stop there." 315 00:15:39,250 --> 00:15:44,833 The other preacher says, "I don't believe the Bible." 316 00:15:44,917 --> 00:15:46,375 What an impasse, right? 317 00:15:46,458 --> 00:15:48,167 Where can that conversation go from there? 318 00:15:48,208 --> 00:15:51,375 I even was even more attentive after that point. 319 00:15:51,458 --> 00:15:54,500 How can you call yourself a preacher 320 00:15:54,542 --> 00:15:56,292 and not believe in the Bible? 321 00:15:56,333 --> 00:15:58,542 Because Spirit-empowered preaching ultimately 322 00:15:58,625 --> 00:16:00,542 is biblical. 323 00:16:00,625 --> 00:16:02,333 And we don't take ideas and thoughts 324 00:16:02,417 --> 00:16:04,167 and fit them into the Bible. 325 00:16:04,208 --> 00:16:07,458 We take the truth of the Bible, and we speak and we exposit 326 00:16:07,500 --> 00:16:10,667 and we expand and we explain the Bible. 327 00:16:10,750 --> 00:16:15,042 If you're not listening to preaching that is biblical, 328 00:16:15,125 --> 00:16:18,750 you're not listening to Spirit-empowered preaching. 329 00:16:18,833 --> 00:16:21,000 And if we're not listening to Spirit-empowered preaching, 330 00:16:21,042 --> 00:16:24,083 then non-Christians are never going to become Christians, 331 00:16:24,167 --> 00:16:26,583 and Christians are never going to become more and more 332 00:16:26,667 --> 00:16:28,750 like Jesus, and the mission of Jesus 333 00:16:28,833 --> 00:16:32,167 isn't going to move forward. 334 00:16:32,250 --> 00:16:35,750 Peter starts from a biblical perspective and says, 335 00:16:35,833 --> 00:16:37,958 "This is exactly what's happening. 336 00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:39,583 It's from the Bible," 337 00:16:39,667 --> 00:16:41,958 and the Bible suddenly begins to interpret 338 00:16:42,000 --> 00:16:46,250 the experience of those at Jerusalem in that day. 339 00:16:46,333 --> 00:16:49,500 Then Peter takes it a step further. 340 00:16:49,542 --> 00:16:54,750 Acts chapter 2, picking up in verse 22. 341 00:16:54,833 --> 00:16:57,167 You're going to see that Spirit-empowered preaching 342 00:16:57,250 --> 00:16:59,167 isn't only biblical: 343 00:16:59,250 --> 00:17:02,333 Spirit-empowered preaching is Christological. 344 00:17:02,417 --> 00:17:04,000 Let me explain. 345 00:17:04,042 --> 00:17:10,333 "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, 346 00:17:10,417 --> 00:17:14,667 "a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders 347 00:17:14,750 --> 00:17:18,250 "and signs that God did through him in your midst, 348 00:17:18,333 --> 00:17:21,083 as you yourselves know"--in other words, he's speaking 349 00:17:21,167 --> 00:17:24,375 to those who actually physically saw Jesus. 350 00:17:24,458 --> 00:17:27,667 They saw Jesus feed the hungry. 351 00:17:27,750 --> 00:17:30,167 They saw Jesus heal the sick. 352 00:17:30,250 --> 00:17:32,667 They saw Jesus raise the dead. 353 00:17:32,708 --> 00:17:35,250 These are people that were eyewitnesses that saw Jesus 354 00:17:35,333 --> 00:17:39,875 do things that no human being ever had done-- 355 00:17:39,958 --> 00:17:43,000 "This Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan 356 00:17:43,042 --> 00:17:47,292 "and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by 357 00:17:47,333 --> 00:17:49,792 "the hands of lawless men. 358 00:17:49,833 --> 00:17:53,083 "God raised him up, loosening the pangs of death, 359 00:17:53,167 --> 00:17:57,292 "because it was not possible for him to be held. 360 00:17:57,333 --> 00:17:59,958 “For David says concerning him"--more Bible, 361 00:18:00,083 --> 00:18:02,167 this is from the Psalms now-- 362 00:18:02,208 --> 00:18:04,375 "'I saw the Lord always before me, 363 00:18:04,458 --> 00:18:08,167 "'for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; 364 00:18:08,250 --> 00:18:11,875 "'therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; 365 00:18:11,958 --> 00:18:14,083 "'my flesh also will dwell in hope. 366 00:18:14,167 --> 00:18:16,792 "'For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, 367 00:18:16,833 --> 00:18:19,375 "'or let your Holy One see corruption. 368 00:18:19,458 --> 00:18:22,000 "'You have made known to me the paths of life; 369 00:18:22,042 --> 00:18:25,167 you will make me full of gladness with your presence.'" 370 00:18:25,208 --> 00:18:29,792 Peter picks up his sermon-- "Brothers, I may say to you 371 00:18:29,833 --> 00:18:33,292 "with confidence about the patriarch David that 372 00:18:33,333 --> 00:18:35,333 "he both died and was buried, 373 00:18:35,417 --> 00:18:37,667 and his tomb is with us to this day." 374 00:18:37,750 --> 00:18:40,750 In other words, Peter is saying, this passage cannot be about 375 00:18:40,833 --> 00:18:44,833 David only because David didn't rise from the grave: 376 00:18:44,917 --> 00:18:46,833 David's bones are still on a tomb, 377 00:18:46,917 --> 00:18:49,167 and we can go visit him there. 378 00:18:49,250 --> 00:18:52,292 Verse 30, "Being therefore a prophet, 379 00:18:52,333 --> 00:18:56,292 "and knowing that God has sworn with an oath to him 380 00:18:56,333 --> 00:18:59,583 "that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, 381 00:18:59,667 --> 00:19:01,667 he foresaw and spoke about 382 00:19:01,708 --> 00:19:05,667 the resurrection"--circle that word--"the resurrection 383 00:19:05,750 --> 00:19:09,083 "of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, 384 00:19:09,167 --> 00:19:11,833 "nor did his flesh see corruption. 385 00:19:11,917 --> 00:19:18,000 "This Jesus God raised up, and of that we are all witnesses. 386 00:19:18,042 --> 00:19:21,292 "Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, 387 00:19:21,333 --> 00:19:24,000 "and having received from the Father 388 00:19:24,042 --> 00:19:26,292 "the promise of the Holy Spirit, 389 00:19:26,333 --> 00:19:28,792 "he has poured out this that you yourselves 390 00:19:28,833 --> 00:19:30,792 "are seeing and hearing. 391 00:19:30,833 --> 00:19:32,792 "For David did not descend into the heavens, 392 00:19:32,833 --> 00:19:36,083 "but he himself says, 'The Lord said to my Lord, 393 00:19:36,167 --> 00:19:39,500 "'"Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies 394 00:19:39,542 --> 00:19:42,500 your footstool."'" 395 00:19:42,542 --> 00:19:45,542 Peter continues with the biblical teaching, 396 00:19:45,625 --> 00:19:49,000 and now he's focused on the person of Jesus, 397 00:19:49,042 --> 00:19:52,750 because Spirit-empowered preaching is biblical, but 398 00:19:52,833 --> 00:19:55,792 Spirit-empowered preaching has a destination, 399 00:19:55,833 --> 00:19:57,667 if it's truly going to be biblical, 400 00:19:57,750 --> 00:20:01,000 and that destination ultimately falls upon the person and work 401 00:20:01,042 --> 00:20:03,417 of the Lord Jesus Christ. 402 00:20:03,500 --> 00:20:07,167 And what Peter is saying to this crowd that's gathered, 403 00:20:07,250 --> 00:20:10,875 that's watching these phenomenal things happen is, in essence, 404 00:20:10,958 --> 00:20:13,917 "This is all about Jesus." 405 00:20:14,000 --> 00:20:17,000 And again, he works from the Bible to emphasize 406 00:20:17,083 --> 00:20:18,792 the very essence of Jesus. 407 00:20:18,833 --> 00:20:20,417 Jesus walked among us. 408 00:20:20,500 --> 00:20:23,083 Jesus performed amazing things. 409 00:20:23,167 --> 00:20:27,333 Jesus was unjustly executed, but Jesus didn't stay in the grave. 410 00:20:27,375 --> 00:20:30,500 He's risen, and he's now at the right hand of the Father, 411 00:20:30,542 --> 00:20:33,583 and he’s sent the Holy Spirit. 412 00:20:33,667 --> 00:20:36,917 In essence, what the people are watching is the absolute proof 413 00:20:37,000 --> 00:20:43,625 and attestation that Jesus is who he said he was--he's God. 414 00:20:43,667 --> 00:20:48,500 Spirit-empowered preaching is Christological. 415 00:20:48,583 --> 00:20:51,667 Ultimately if we're going to preach the Bible, 416 00:20:51,750 --> 00:20:56,875 we're going to proclaim Jesus, because if every sermon and 417 00:20:56,958 --> 00:21:01,042 every message doesn't end up on the person and work of Jesus, 418 00:21:01,125 --> 00:21:04,292 it's not Spirit-empowered: it's something else. 419 00:21:04,333 --> 00:21:07,667 And my deep concern about many of the sermons I listen to 420 00:21:07,750 --> 00:21:10,667 today, and I listen to a ton of sermons from many different 421 00:21:10,750 --> 00:21:14,667 perspectives, although a ton of people preach the Bible, 422 00:21:14,750 --> 00:21:18,792 very few people preach Jesus. 423 00:21:18,833 --> 00:21:23,542 Much of Christian preaching is merely principled living. 424 00:21:26,250 --> 00:21:31,542 And you need to understand that the Bible isn't a book about 425 00:21:31,625 --> 00:21:33,375 principles to live by: 426 00:21:33,458 --> 00:21:36,167 the Bible is a book about the person to live for. 427 00:21:36,208 --> 00:21:39,958 You see the difference? 428 00:21:40,000 --> 00:21:42,667 The Bible, if it's preached accurately, 429 00:21:42,750 --> 00:21:44,250 must ultimately fall upon 430 00:21:44,333 --> 00:21:49,167 the person and work of Jesus Christ. 431 00:21:49,250 --> 00:21:53,583 And any sermon that stops short of focusing on Jesus 432 00:21:53,667 --> 00:21:57,250 is incomplete. It's inaccurate. It's unfinished. 433 00:21:57,333 --> 00:22:01,833 Think of it this way: I'm not a very cultured person, 434 00:22:01,917 --> 00:22:05,083 as you can probably tell by just listening to me speak, 435 00:22:05,167 --> 00:22:08,792 but as Pastor Mark shared in the introduction video, 436 00:22:08,833 --> 00:22:11,542 I've been blessed with a wife and four daughters that are 437 00:22:11,625 --> 00:22:13,958 very artistic, very musical. 438 00:22:14,000 --> 00:22:16,542 They love musical theater. 439 00:22:16,625 --> 00:22:18,083 They just love it. 440 00:22:18,167 --> 00:22:21,667 And so, in order to love them, I have to love the things that 441 00:22:21,750 --> 00:22:23,583 they love, and I occasionally will go 442 00:22:23,667 --> 00:22:25,167 and see musicals with them. 443 00:22:25,250 --> 00:22:26,750 I've probably seen every one, 444 00:22:26,833 --> 00:22:28,792 but I was holding out on "Les Mis." 445 00:22:28,833 --> 00:22:30,292 I don't know why. 446 00:22:30,333 --> 00:22:32,500 Heard it was a great story, but I thought, 447 00:22:32,542 --> 00:22:35,000 I just don't want to see that, because quite frankly, 448 00:22:35,042 --> 00:22:37,083 it sounds like it's a very long story. 449 00:22:37,167 --> 00:22:40,083 And you tack in a 30-minute intermission 450 00:22:40,167 --> 00:22:42,292 that doesn't make any sense to me at all, 451 00:22:42,333 --> 00:22:43,792 and it's just an endless night. 452 00:22:43,833 --> 00:22:46,167 So, I held out to the last moment-- 453 00:22:46,250 --> 00:22:48,792 until the movie came out, again. 454 00:22:48,833 --> 00:22:54,750 And what compelled me was the thought of the gladiator 455 00:22:54,833 --> 00:22:58,042 in a musical alongside the Wolverine, all right? 456 00:22:58,125 --> 00:23:00,625 It doesn't get any better than that. 457 00:23:00,667 --> 00:23:04,292 So, I had to go to the theater and I had to see "Les Mis" 458 00:23:04,333 --> 00:23:05,792 with my family. 459 00:23:05,833 --> 00:23:09,292 Now, if you know the story, you're familiar with the story, 460 00:23:09,333 --> 00:23:11,042 it's an amazing story of redemption, 461 00:23:11,125 --> 00:23:14,833 but what if I stopped the movie midway through and simply took 462 00:23:14,917 --> 00:23:17,167 a single scene out of the movie? 463 00:23:17,208 --> 00:23:19,667 So, imagine this scenario, I'm at the theater. 464 00:23:19,750 --> 00:23:21,083 I stand up. 465 00:23:21,167 --> 00:23:22,500 It's dark. 466 00:23:22,542 --> 00:23:24,000 I take out my cell phone, 467 00:23:24,042 --> 00:23:26,583 and because I'm becoming more and more technologically savvy, 468 00:23:26,667 --> 00:23:28,500 I have that app that you download 469 00:23:28,542 --> 00:23:30,083 that's the flashlight app. 470 00:23:30,167 --> 00:23:32,750 And I turn it on so it illuminates my face-- 471 00:23:32,833 --> 00:23:36,000 not the strobe light, because that would be creepy, 472 00:23:36,042 --> 00:23:38,667 or creepier. 473 00:23:38,750 --> 00:23:42,458 And I say to the crowd, "Let me explain what's happening here. 474 00:23:42,500 --> 00:23:46,167 "It's OK. As you were. I'm a pastor. 475 00:23:46,250 --> 00:23:49,792 "I'm a Mars Hill pastor. It's going to be all right. 476 00:23:49,833 --> 00:23:51,750 "Let me not waste any more of your time. 477 00:23:51,833 --> 00:23:54,833 “Let me explain to you what's precisely happening here. 478 00:23:54,917 --> 00:23:57,292 “And it's a low point in the film. 479 00:23:57,333 --> 00:24:00,333 “And what's happening right now in the film is that Jean Valjean 480 00:24:00,417 --> 00:24:02,833 “is being exposed of being an ex-con and his 481 00:24:02,875 --> 00:24:05,000 “reputation is being ruined. 482 00:24:05,042 --> 00:24:08,875 “And Fantine is dying slowly because she's given herself 483 00:24:08,958 --> 00:24:11,167 “to a life of prostitution to support 484 00:24:11,208 --> 00:24:14,083 “her illegitimate daughter. 485 00:24:14,167 --> 00:24:17,500 “And Javert is triumphing 'cause he's all about the law 486 00:24:17,542 --> 00:24:19,000 and justice.” 487 00:24:19,042 --> 00:24:22,000 And I was to take that scene and I was to say, 488 00:24:22,042 --> 00:24:24,500 "Let me explain to you the point of this movie: 489 00:24:24,542 --> 00:24:27,167 "the point of this movie is if you obey the law, 490 00:24:27,208 --> 00:24:28,542 "good things happen. 491 00:24:28,625 --> 00:24:31,542 "If you keep the law, then things will go well for you. 492 00:24:31,625 --> 00:24:32,958 "Look at Javert. 493 00:24:33,000 --> 00:24:35,458 "But if you break the law and you're a criminal, 494 00:24:35,500 --> 00:24:37,083 "then your life is condemned forever. 495 00:24:37,167 --> 00:24:38,500 "Look at Jean Valjean. 496 00:24:38,542 --> 00:24:40,250 "Or if you give yourself to immorality, 497 00:24:40,333 --> 00:24:42,000 "things can never go right for you. 498 00:24:42,042 --> 00:24:43,500 Look at Fantine." 499 00:24:43,542 --> 00:24:45,833 I would totally miss the big picture, right? 500 00:24:45,917 --> 00:24:48,500 'Cause what happens at the end of the movie--spoiler alert-- 501 00:24:48,542 --> 00:24:51,000 all right, what happens at the end of the movie, 502 00:24:51,042 --> 00:24:52,375 roles are inverted. 503 00:24:52,458 --> 00:24:55,375 Javert, the one who's lived his whole life by the law ultimately 504 00:24:55,458 --> 00:24:58,167 is destroyed and he falls into the watery pit, right? 505 00:24:58,250 --> 00:25:00,958 And everyone else's life, who had broken the law, 506 00:25:01,000 --> 00:25:02,542 they find redemption. 507 00:25:02,625 --> 00:25:04,042 They find grace. 508 00:25:04,125 --> 00:25:10,458 They find mercy through God, and they are redeemed and restored. 509 00:25:10,500 --> 00:25:12,292 You see what happens in the Bible 510 00:25:12,333 --> 00:25:14,667 simply becomes principles to live by? 511 00:25:14,750 --> 00:25:17,292 It's like taking a single scene out of "Les Mis" 512 00:25:17,333 --> 00:25:19,083 and trying to explain the whole movie. 513 00:25:19,167 --> 00:25:21,583 But there's a singular baseline in the Bible. 514 00:25:21,667 --> 00:25:23,792 The Bible isn't about a thousand stories; 515 00:25:23,833 --> 00:25:27,042 the Bible's about one story, and the baseline in the Bible 516 00:25:27,125 --> 00:25:33,750 is the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. 517 00:25:33,833 --> 00:25:37,958 We love to preach Jesus at Mars Hill Church. 518 00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:40,500 When I was the lead pastor at Mars Hill Albuquerque, 519 00:25:40,542 --> 00:25:43,167 one of our deacons that was serving in Pro Tech took 520 00:25:43,250 --> 00:25:47,250 a random sermon and before it played back, he said, 521 00:25:47,333 --> 00:25:50,458 "Pastor Dave, I just want you to know that Pastor Mark mentions 522 00:25:50,500 --> 00:25:55,750 "the name of Jesus 78 times today--57-minute sermon. 523 00:25:55,833 --> 00:25:58,500 "On average, he mentioned the name of Jesus 524 00:25:58,542 --> 00:26:00,750 more than once per minute." 525 00:26:00,833 --> 00:26:03,792 Now, it wasn't simply because the name of Jesus is magical and 526 00:26:03,833 --> 00:26:07,875 there's mojo in saying his name: it's that the person and work of 527 00:26:07,958 --> 00:26:11,458 Jesus is the message of the Bible. 528 00:26:11,500 --> 00:26:15,667 Spirit-empowered preaching is Christological 529 00:26:15,750 --> 00:26:19,500 and if you're not hearing about the person and work of Jesus 530 00:26:19,542 --> 00:26:21,958 in preaching, you're not listening to 531 00:26:22,000 --> 00:26:24,167 Spirit-empowered preaching. 532 00:26:24,250 --> 00:26:27,500 And if you're not listening to Spirit-empowered preaching, 533 00:26:27,542 --> 00:26:30,500 then non-Christians aren't going to become Christians, 534 00:26:30,542 --> 00:26:33,750 and Christians aren't going to become like Jesus, 535 00:26:33,833 --> 00:26:40,667 and the movement of Jesus isn't going to move forward. 536 00:26:40,708 --> 00:26:44,083 This story gets really good. 537 00:26:44,167 --> 00:26:49,167 Back to Acts chapter 2, because not only is Spirit-empowered 538 00:26:49,250 --> 00:26:52,000 preaching biblical, 539 00:26:52,042 --> 00:26:54,000 not only is Spirit-empowered preaching 540 00:26:54,042 --> 00:26:59,583 Christological, Spirit-empowered preaching is confrontational. 541 00:26:59,667 --> 00:27:06,500 Verse 36, Peter continues, "Let all the house of Israel 542 00:27:06,542 --> 00:27:11,333 "therefore know for certain that God has made him"--Jesus-- 543 00:27:11,417 --> 00:27:14,542 "both Lord and Christ, 544 00:27:14,625 --> 00:27:19,292 this Jesus whom you crucified." 545 00:27:19,333 --> 00:27:25,083 Wow, Peter goes for it. 546 00:27:25,167 --> 00:27:27,583 Peter cuts loose. 547 00:27:27,667 --> 00:27:32,375 Peter has spent the previous verses extolling Jesus, 548 00:27:32,458 --> 00:27:37,792 elevating Jesus, talking about how Jesus isn't just any man, 549 00:27:37,833 --> 00:27:39,875 Jesus is the God-man. 550 00:27:39,958 --> 00:27:43,583 Jesus is the one who did things that no one has ever done. 551 00:27:43,667 --> 00:27:45,833 Jesus couldn't be contained by death. 552 00:27:45,917 --> 00:27:47,792 Jesus rose from the grave. 553 00:27:47,833 --> 00:27:51,167 And then he goes far to say that the Trinitarian God, 554 00:27:51,250 --> 00:27:55,375 the God of the Bible, has given to Jesus, the God-man, 555 00:27:55,458 --> 00:27:57,750 the title of both Lord-- 556 00:27:57,833 --> 00:28:01,333 he's ruler of all, that's what that word means-- 557 00:28:01,417 --> 00:28:04,042 and Christ--he's the anointed one. 558 00:28:04,125 --> 00:28:05,792 So, if you're listening to this sermon, 559 00:28:05,833 --> 00:28:08,167 you're getting caught up in the greatness of Jesus, 560 00:28:08,208 --> 00:28:10,833 all of a sudden, your heart is being drawn to Jesus, 561 00:28:10,917 --> 00:28:13,167 then Peter hits you in the stomach and says, 562 00:28:13,250 --> 00:28:15,958 "This great Jesus-- you killed him!" 563 00:28:16,000 --> 00:28:18,958 It's as if Peter says, "I want you to take a timeout. 564 00:28:19,000 --> 00:28:21,167 "I want you to go sit in the corner, 565 00:28:21,208 --> 00:28:23,500 and I want you to think about that, mister: 566 00:28:23,542 --> 00:28:26,167 you killed Jesus." 567 00:28:26,250 --> 00:28:32,750 Spirit-empowered preaching is confrontational. 568 00:28:32,833 --> 00:28:36,292 It's not merely informational; it's transformational. 569 00:28:36,333 --> 00:28:39,542 And the only way that preaching can be transformational 570 00:28:39,625 --> 00:28:42,583 is if it proclaims, first and foremost, 571 00:28:42,667 --> 00:28:45,500 Jesus and his greatness and his glory, 572 00:28:45,542 --> 00:28:49,167 then simultaneously reveals to us where our thoughts, 573 00:28:49,250 --> 00:28:54,833 our words, our action, our attitudes are misaligned 574 00:28:54,917 --> 00:29:00,458 with the person, work, of Jesus. 575 00:29:00,500 --> 00:29:03,167 Do you realize, like these hearers in Jerusalem at 576 00:29:03,250 --> 00:29:09,667 Pentecost, that your hands are covered with the blood of Jesus? 577 00:29:09,750 --> 00:29:12,458 Peter could say these very same words to us today, 578 00:29:12,500 --> 00:29:15,000 "You killed Jesus. 579 00:29:15,042 --> 00:29:18,583 What are you gonna do about it?" 580 00:29:18,667 --> 00:29:24,375 Let me ask you a simple question, Mars Hill: 581 00:29:24,458 --> 00:29:30,292 do we experience confrontational preaching 582 00:29:30,333 --> 00:29:31,750 at Mars Hill Church? 583 00:29:31,833 --> 00:29:35,000 Now, before you answer that, let me give you a set-up question 584 00:29:35,042 --> 00:29:36,542 that will give you the answer: 585 00:29:36,625 --> 00:29:38,583 is the new pope Catholic? 586 00:29:38,667 --> 00:29:42,458 Yes! Yes, we believe in confrontational preaching. 587 00:29:42,500 --> 00:29:46,667 Week in and week out, primarily through Pastor Mark Driscoll, 588 00:29:46,708 --> 00:29:49,542 he stands before us and he proclaims 589 00:29:49,625 --> 00:29:51,375 the greatness of Jesus. 590 00:29:51,458 --> 00:29:53,083 He's biblical in his preaching. 591 00:29:53,167 --> 00:29:54,875 He's Christological in his preaching. 592 00:29:54,958 --> 00:29:56,667 And then he's confrontational. 593 00:29:56,750 --> 00:30:01,833 He calls us to deal with the discrepancy that exists 594 00:30:01,917 --> 00:30:03,708 between the greatness of Jesus 595 00:30:03,792 --> 00:30:07,333 and the way that you and I live life daily, 596 00:30:07,375 --> 00:30:10,667 because Spirit-empowered preaching 597 00:30:10,750 --> 00:30:14,292 must be confrontational. 598 00:30:14,333 --> 00:30:16,917 It's not like reading a commentary that merely 599 00:30:17,000 --> 00:30:20,625 exposits and explains the text so that we might be educated: 600 00:30:20,667 --> 00:30:25,000 Spirit-empowered preaching is persuasive. 601 00:30:25,083 --> 00:30:27,917 It's designed by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God 602 00:30:28,000 --> 00:30:33,125 to move us to action, to have us make a decision. 603 00:30:33,167 --> 00:30:35,417 Now, here's what I love about Mars Hill Church: 604 00:30:35,500 --> 00:30:38,833 not only do those of us who attend here week in and week out 605 00:30:38,875 --> 00:30:41,708 understand that Spirit-empowered preaching is confrontational, 606 00:30:41,792 --> 00:30:44,167 those who watch what happens from the outside 607 00:30:44,250 --> 00:30:46,083 see the same thing. 608 00:30:46,167 --> 00:30:48,208 People that I love and deeply respect, 609 00:30:48,292 --> 00:30:50,208 people like Pastor Matt Chandler, 610 00:30:50,292 --> 00:30:53,083 who's going to be speaking at our Resurgence conference, 611 00:30:53,167 --> 00:30:56,667 sees this at Mars Hill Church, and I respect him as much 612 00:30:56,750 --> 00:30:58,333 as any preacher alive today. 613 00:30:58,375 --> 00:31:00,583 Listen to what he has to say about it. 614 00:31:00,667 --> 00:31:03,083 I got a great clip I want to show you. 615 00:31:03,167 --> 00:31:04,833 Listen to pastor Matt Chandler talking about 616 00:31:04,917 --> 00:31:06,833 the preaching ministry of Mars Hill Church. 617 00:31:06,917 --> 00:31:08,250 Roll that, please. 618 00:31:08,333 --> 00:31:09,833 . . . preach and teach the gospel. 619 00:31:09,875 --> 00:31:12,375 And then here's the big one that we talked about earlier: 620 00:31:12,458 --> 00:31:18,000 fulfill your ministry. 621 00:31:18,042 --> 00:31:22,375 Early on in the process, what most guys do is they identify 622 00:31:22,458 --> 00:31:24,875 somebody whose model is working. 623 00:31:24,958 --> 00:31:28,083 So they'll go, "OK, Driscoll." 624 00:31:28,167 --> 00:31:31,000 But can we--like Driscoll's a good friend of mine-- 625 00:31:31,042 --> 00:31:34,250 can we admit that he's just got a unique gift? 626 00:31:34,333 --> 00:31:36,583 He just--it's really, really unique. 627 00:31:36,667 --> 00:31:39,583 And I don't know anybody else I've ever been able to see 628 00:31:39,667 --> 00:31:41,000 pull it off. 629 00:31:41,042 --> 00:31:44,167 Like, I can't get up in front of the people at the Village 630 00:31:44,250 --> 00:31:50,167 and go, "My sermon today is entitled, 631 00:31:50,208 --> 00:31:53,667 "'I Think You're Stupid.' 632 00:31:57,917 --> 00:32:02,917 I've got 13 points." 633 00:32:03,000 --> 00:32:06,375 And then he goes through it, "Look, one is just simple: 634 00:32:06,458 --> 00:32:09,875 you're just stupid; there's nothing behind it." 635 00:32:09,958 --> 00:32:11,542 But OK, but let's be honest. 636 00:32:11,625 --> 00:32:13,167 This is a Holy Spirit thing. 637 00:32:13,208 --> 00:32:15,375 What happens when he does it? 638 00:32:15,458 --> 00:32:19,167 Like, people get saved. 639 00:32:19,250 --> 00:32:21,083 It's like, point one, "You're stupid." 640 00:32:21,167 --> 00:32:26,667 And they're like, "Oh, God, I'm stupid." 641 00:32:29,250 --> 00:32:33,083 All right, so now, when you listen to a bunch of Driscoll 642 00:32:33,167 --> 00:32:35,792 and then come and get in your pulpits and go, 643 00:32:35,833 --> 00:32:39,458 "Let me tell you people why you're stupid." 644 00:32:39,500 --> 00:32:46,167 And then--OK, listen, fulfill your ministry. 645 00:32:48,625 --> 00:32:51,500 Amen. 646 00:32:51,542 --> 00:32:56,167 I can only show that when Pastor Mark is out, right? 647 00:32:56,250 --> 00:32:59,833 Spirit-empowered preaching is confrontational. 648 00:32:59,917 --> 00:33:02,833 If Spirit-empowered preaching is going to be biblical 649 00:33:02,917 --> 00:33:04,875 and going to be Christological 650 00:33:04,958 --> 00:33:06,667 and ultimately be transformational, 651 00:33:06,750 --> 00:33:08,667 then it has to be confrontational. 652 00:33:08,750 --> 00:33:11,875 And my great concern today, as we live in a culture 653 00:33:11,958 --> 00:33:15,083 that's drifting day in and day out, further away from 654 00:33:15,167 --> 00:33:19,083 Judeo-Christian principles, is that we are going to emphasize 655 00:33:19,167 --> 00:33:23,292 being contextualized more than being confrontational. 656 00:33:23,333 --> 00:33:25,667 And don't get me wrong, we believe in contextualizing 657 00:33:25,750 --> 00:33:30,083 the gospel, but what our culture desperately needs to hear is 658 00:33:30,167 --> 00:33:33,167 exactly what the listeners in Jerusalem heard: 659 00:33:33,250 --> 00:33:35,000 Jesus is God! 660 00:33:35,042 --> 00:33:36,750 Jesus is Lord! 661 00:33:36,833 --> 00:33:38,292 Jesus is the Christ! 662 00:33:38,333 --> 00:33:41,000 He's the one who's anointed to bring about God's 663 00:33:41,042 --> 00:33:45,000 redemptive plan-- and you killed him! 664 00:33:45,042 --> 00:33:50,792 What are you gonna do about that? 665 00:33:50,833 --> 00:33:53,667 Last thing I want you to see in this sermon, 666 00:33:53,750 --> 00:33:56,500 last characteristic that I believe from the sermon 667 00:33:56,542 --> 00:34:00,333 defines Spirit-empowered preaching is this: 668 00:34:00,375 --> 00:34:04,667 Spirit-empowered preaching is impactful. 669 00:34:04,750 --> 00:34:10,250 Verse 38--excuse me, verse 37, 670 00:34:10,333 --> 00:34:13,167 "Now when they heard this 671 00:34:13,250 --> 00:34:19,000 "they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest 672 00:34:19,042 --> 00:34:24,667 of the apostles, 'Brothers, what shall we do?'" 673 00:34:24,708 --> 00:34:30,542 That's the impact of Spirit-empowered preaching. 674 00:34:30,625 --> 00:34:32,958 It goes right to the heart. 675 00:34:33,000 --> 00:34:35,500 Suddenly confronted with the reality 676 00:34:35,542 --> 00:34:39,000 that we have murdered the God-man Jesus, 677 00:34:39,042 --> 00:34:41,333 our Creator, our Redeemer. 678 00:34:41,417 --> 00:34:44,875 Our sin, our treason, our rebellion was ultimately 679 00:34:44,958 --> 00:34:47,292 responsible for his murder. 680 00:34:47,333 --> 00:34:50,667 We're cut to the heart. 681 00:34:50,750 --> 00:34:54,500 Spirit-empowered preaching always goes right to the heart. 682 00:34:54,542 --> 00:34:56,875 And this is a profound word that's used here, 683 00:34:56,958 --> 00:35:00,458 this word "pierced in the heart" is the very same word that's 684 00:35:00,500 --> 00:35:04,750 used in the Bible to depict what the soldier did to Jesus 685 00:35:04,833 --> 00:35:09,958 to confirm his death when he pierced his side. 686 00:35:10,000 --> 00:35:12,750 Maybe for some of you today, you've experienced that 687 00:35:12,833 --> 00:35:19,000 right here, right now for the very first time. 688 00:35:19,042 --> 00:35:23,667 You're convicted that you murdered Jesus, 689 00:35:23,750 --> 00:35:26,833 that his blood is on your hands, and you're cut to the heart. 690 00:35:26,917 --> 00:35:29,667 And much like the listeners in Jerusalem, you're crying out, 691 00:35:29,750 --> 00:35:34,500 "What should we do?" 692 00:35:34,542 --> 00:35:37,083 There's a man who began to attend Mars Hill Albuquerque 693 00:35:37,167 --> 00:35:38,667 that many people knew. 694 00:35:38,750 --> 00:35:40,667 He was a well-known radio personality. 695 00:35:40,750 --> 00:35:44,875 He hosted the leading morning radio show 696 00:35:44,958 --> 00:35:47,167 on the alternative rock station 697 00:35:47,250 --> 00:35:49,083 in Albuquerque, and he began to attend, 698 00:35:49,167 --> 00:35:53,792 and people began to say, "You should pray for Aaron." 699 00:35:53,833 --> 00:35:57,792 And we were in the book of Luke, Pastor Mark was preaching, and 700 00:35:57,833 --> 00:36:01,542 Aaron--Pastor Mark solicited input through The City on 701 00:36:01,625 --> 00:36:04,667 if anybody had some painful, suffering experiences that 702 00:36:04,750 --> 00:36:07,042 could illustrate a sermon, please share. 703 00:36:07,125 --> 00:36:10,000 And Aaron got on The City and he posted his heartbreaking story 704 00:36:10,042 --> 00:36:12,500 of not only losing his dad but losing brothers, 705 00:36:12,542 --> 00:36:15,792 and you could tell that Aaron didn't yet know Jesus. 706 00:36:15,833 --> 00:36:18,667 And you could tell from his words that Aaron actually felt, 707 00:36:18,750 --> 00:36:22,250 rather than loved by God through Jesus, wounded. 708 00:36:22,333 --> 00:36:25,958 And so, Aaron showed up that Sunday, and Pastor Mark preached 709 00:36:26,000 --> 00:36:30,083 about Jesus and suffering. 710 00:36:30,167 --> 00:36:35,375 And Aaron made his way towards me at the end of that gathering, 711 00:36:35,458 --> 00:36:41,250 covered in tears, heartbroken, pierced through the heart, 712 00:36:42,958 --> 00:36:45,250 simultaneously understanding two things, 713 00:36:45,333 --> 00:36:49,083 that Aaron indeed was sinful, 714 00:36:49,167 --> 00:36:53,667 that Aaron was estranged from a God who loved him 715 00:36:53,750 --> 00:36:55,875 and was pursuing him in Jesus, 716 00:36:55,958 --> 00:36:58,792 and simultaneously seeing that Jesus was the solution 717 00:36:58,833 --> 00:37:00,667 to Aaron's sin problem. 718 00:37:00,708 --> 00:37:03,333 And Aaron came up to me, and he could hardly speak 719 00:37:03,417 --> 00:37:05,000 he was crying so hard, 720 00:37:05,042 --> 00:37:06,667 and me being insightful and profound, 721 00:37:06,750 --> 00:37:08,375 I simply looked at Aaron and said, 722 00:37:08,458 --> 00:37:10,250 "Do you want to meet Jesus today?" 723 00:37:10,333 --> 00:37:13,375 And he said, "Yeah," and Aaron met Jesus. 724 00:37:13,458 --> 00:37:19,375 I want you to meet Jesus today. 725 00:37:19,458 --> 00:37:22,750 I want the Holy Spirit, through the Word of God, 726 00:37:22,833 --> 00:37:25,667 to do a work on your heart that, much like these hearers, 727 00:37:25,708 --> 00:37:28,000 you are pierced to the heart. 728 00:37:28,042 --> 00:37:31,167 It's as if someone stuck a spear in your heart, and you understand 729 00:37:31,250 --> 00:37:35,292 for the first time the very glory and greatness of Jesus, 730 00:37:35,333 --> 00:37:38,167 and you see, for the very first time, that it's your sin, 731 00:37:38,250 --> 00:37:41,875 your treason, your rebellion that killed him. 732 00:37:41,958 --> 00:37:47,375 And I want you to say like these listeners, "What should I do?" 733 00:37:47,458 --> 00:37:51,375 Look at Peter's response. 734 00:37:51,458 --> 00:37:54,292 Verse 38, "And Peter said to them, 735 00:37:54,333 --> 00:37:57,875 "'Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name 736 00:37:57,958 --> 00:38:01,833 "'of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, 737 00:38:01,917 --> 00:38:04,333 "'and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 738 00:38:04,417 --> 00:38:08,458 "'For the promise is for you and for your children 739 00:38:08,500 --> 00:38:13,583 "'and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God 740 00:38:13,667 --> 00:38:17,833 calls to himself.'" 741 00:38:19,917 --> 00:38:22,083 Peter tells him to do two things, 742 00:38:22,167 --> 00:38:25,458 and it's very important that we dial this in. 743 00:38:25,500 --> 00:38:28,542 It's very important that you understand the connection 744 00:38:28,625 --> 00:38:32,292 between repentance and baptism. 745 00:38:32,333 --> 00:38:34,000 Peter first says, "Repent." 746 00:38:34,042 --> 00:38:38,667 Repent means to literally change your mind. 747 00:38:38,750 --> 00:38:41,292 Repentance is a change of perspective. 748 00:38:41,333 --> 00:38:44,375 I love what the great theologian, Wayne Grudem, 749 00:38:44,458 --> 00:38:47,000 who will be here later this summer preaching right here 750 00:38:47,042 --> 00:38:49,833 at Mars Hill, the way he defines repentance. 751 00:38:49,917 --> 00:38:52,333 He defines it in a three-fold way. 752 00:38:52,417 --> 00:38:56,000 Repentance is understanding through the mind that 753 00:38:56,042 --> 00:38:59,375 you've transgressed against God, you've sinned against God, 754 00:38:59,458 --> 00:39:01,333 and it's being remorseful, mentally. 755 00:39:01,417 --> 00:39:03,375 But it's also a condition of the heart: 756 00:39:03,458 --> 00:39:06,500 it's regretting your sin and turning from your sin 757 00:39:06,542 --> 00:39:09,167 and having a desire to please Jesus. 758 00:39:09,208 --> 00:39:11,667 But it's also a decision of the will-- 759 00:39:11,750 --> 00:39:13,500 "If I'm going in this direction. 760 00:39:13,542 --> 00:39:16,000 "I'm going to stop and I'm going to turn back. 761 00:39:16,042 --> 00:39:18,792 I'm gonna turn away from sin and turn towards Jesus." 762 00:39:18,833 --> 00:39:21,500 And the Bible teaches us that that's a gift from God 763 00:39:21,542 --> 00:39:25,500 in and of itself. 764 00:39:25,542 --> 00:39:27,375 Will you repent today? 765 00:39:27,458 --> 00:39:30,833 If you're cut to the heart, the Holy Spirit is doing his work, 766 00:39:30,917 --> 00:39:34,583 because Jesus said he'll convict the world of sin. 767 00:39:34,667 --> 00:39:36,083 The Holy Spirit is working hard. 768 00:39:36,167 --> 00:39:38,833 "How do I respond to the work of the Holy Spirit?" 769 00:39:38,917 --> 00:39:40,250 You repent. 770 00:39:40,333 --> 00:39:45,458 You turn from sin and you trust in Jesus. 771 00:39:45,500 --> 00:39:50,667 Then Peter says, "And be baptized." 772 00:39:50,708 --> 00:39:54,750 This is potentially problematic, because you can look at this 773 00:39:54,833 --> 00:39:57,250 passage and you can make two very different mistakes: 774 00:39:57,333 --> 00:39:59,792 you can overemphasize baptism 775 00:39:59,833 --> 00:40:03,000 and you can underemphasize baptism. 776 00:40:03,083 --> 00:40:05,000 You can look at this text and say, 777 00:40:05,083 --> 00:40:07,917 "OK, two things have to happen for my sin to be forgiven 778 00:40:08,000 --> 00:40:09,875 "and for me to receive the Holy Spirit: 779 00:40:09,958 --> 00:40:12,625 "first I have to repent, then I have to go through 780 00:40:12,667 --> 00:40:14,333 the ritual act of baptism." 781 00:40:14,375 --> 00:40:16,500 It's not what this verse is teaching. 782 00:40:16,542 --> 00:40:19,583 As a matter of fact, Luke, who penned these words, 783 00:40:19,667 --> 00:40:21,417 also wrote the Gospel of Luke. 784 00:40:21,500 --> 00:40:24,417 The other times he connects repentance with 785 00:40:24,500 --> 00:40:26,625 a forgiveness of sin, 786 00:40:26,667 --> 00:40:28,208 there's no mention of baptism. 787 00:40:28,292 --> 00:40:31,417 When Jesus talks about his message in Luke 24 going out, 788 00:40:31,500 --> 00:40:35,000 he simply says, "The message is repentance and the result is 789 00:40:35,042 --> 00:40:37,417 the forgiveness of sin." 790 00:40:37,500 --> 00:40:39,917 This very same Peter is going to preach a sermon 791 00:40:40,000 --> 00:40:41,375 in Acts chapter 3. 792 00:40:41,458 --> 00:40:43,708 He talks about repentance and the result of repentance 793 00:40:43,792 --> 00:40:45,375 is the forgiveness of sin. 794 00:40:45,458 --> 00:40:47,208 Again, baptism isn't mentioned. 795 00:40:47,292 --> 00:40:50,792 Stephen, the first martyr in the early church, in Acts chapter 5 796 00:40:50,833 --> 00:40:52,667 preaches a very similar message. 797 00:40:52,750 --> 00:40:55,417 He talks about the need for repentance and the result 798 00:40:55,500 --> 00:40:58,500 of repentance is the forgiveness of sin. 799 00:40:58,583 --> 00:41:00,292 When we interpret the Bible, 800 00:41:00,333 --> 00:41:02,167 we understand the majority of passages, 801 00:41:02,250 --> 00:41:04,083 and we interpret the minority passages 802 00:41:04,167 --> 00:41:05,792 in light of the majority passages. 803 00:41:05,833 --> 00:41:07,500 And there's a cause and effect 804 00:41:07,542 --> 00:41:09,292 that's presented in the Bible. 805 00:41:09,333 --> 00:41:11,333 The causative action here is repentance. 806 00:41:11,417 --> 00:41:12,875 Repentance results in two things, 807 00:41:12,958 --> 00:41:14,333 according to this text: 808 00:41:14,417 --> 00:41:17,167 it results in the forgiveness of sin and receiving the gift 809 00:41:17,250 --> 00:41:21,750 of the Holy Spirit. 810 00:41:21,833 --> 00:41:23,750 It's as if Peter could have said, 811 00:41:23,833 --> 00:41:26,750 "Repent and be forgiven of your sin 812 00:41:26,833 --> 00:41:28,292 and receive the Holy Spirit." 813 00:41:28,333 --> 00:41:32,167 That's the cause and the effect of that is publicly be baptized. 814 00:41:32,208 --> 00:41:35,083 Baptism is really two things. 815 00:41:35,167 --> 00:41:37,042 It's a statement and a symbol. 816 00:41:37,125 --> 00:41:39,167 When you're baptized publicly, you are saying, 817 00:41:39,250 --> 00:41:41,958 "I now belong to Jesus. 818 00:41:42,000 --> 00:41:45,167 Jesus is Lord and Jesus is Christ." 819 00:41:45,208 --> 00:41:48,292 It's also a symbol, because when you're baptized by immersion, 820 00:41:48,333 --> 00:41:50,042 you're identifying with Jesus. 821 00:41:50,125 --> 00:41:52,292 You're saying, "Just like Jesus, I'm dying. 822 00:41:52,333 --> 00:41:55,250 "I'm going to the grave and I'm coming out of the grave. 823 00:41:55,333 --> 00:41:58,167 "I'm rising out of the water, living out this new life. 824 00:41:58,208 --> 00:42:01,708 I'm now united with Christ." 825 00:42:01,792 --> 00:42:04,875 So the mistake we can make when we come to this passage is, 826 00:42:04,958 --> 00:42:06,667 we can overemphasize baptism and think that 827 00:42:06,708 --> 00:42:09,583 we have to be baptized or our sins aren't forgiven. 828 00:42:09,667 --> 00:42:11,500 The Bible doesn't teach that. 829 00:42:11,542 --> 00:42:15,500 It's only through grace through faith, grace through repentance. 830 00:42:15,542 --> 00:42:18,667 Repentance is a gift of God and it's only the turning from sin 831 00:42:18,750 --> 00:42:21,375 and trusting in Jesus that results in the forgiveness 832 00:42:21,458 --> 00:42:25,333 of sin and receiving the Holy Spirit. 833 00:42:25,417 --> 00:42:30,458 But some of you are going to underemphasize baptism. 834 00:42:30,500 --> 00:42:35,000 You're not going to see the necessity to be baptized, 835 00:42:35,042 --> 00:42:36,958 and you're gonna miss the point, too. 836 00:42:37,000 --> 00:42:41,792 If you have repented of sin and, as a result of repenting of sin, 837 00:42:41,833 --> 00:42:44,083 turning from sin, trusting in Jesus, 838 00:42:44,167 --> 00:42:47,292 your sins have been forgiven. You've received the Holy Spirit. 839 00:42:47,333 --> 00:42:49,958 You must be baptized. 840 00:42:50,000 --> 00:42:51,750 You need to be baptized. 841 00:42:51,833 --> 00:42:54,292 And I know there are some sitting here today 842 00:42:54,333 --> 00:42:56,167 who've never been baptized. 843 00:42:56,250 --> 00:42:58,458 Today's the day. 844 00:42:58,500 --> 00:43:01,458 You'll never find a single example in all of Scripture 845 00:43:01,500 --> 00:43:07,667 of a Christian who wasn't also baptized. 846 00:43:07,708 --> 00:43:10,000 We came prepared today. 847 00:43:10,042 --> 00:43:12,000 We've got a change of clothes for you. 848 00:43:12,042 --> 00:43:13,500 We got a towel for you. 849 00:43:13,542 --> 00:43:15,667 We got a discreet place for you to change. 850 00:43:15,750 --> 00:43:18,167 Be baptized today. 851 00:43:18,250 --> 00:43:19,875 Don't wait any longer. 852 00:43:19,958 --> 00:43:22,667 If you've repented from sin, your sin has been forgiven, 853 00:43:22,750 --> 00:43:27,042 you've received the Holy Spirit, right here, right now, today, 854 00:43:27,125 --> 00:43:28,667 be baptized. 855 00:43:28,708 --> 00:43:30,667 That's the biblical injunction to you. 856 00:43:30,750 --> 00:43:32,875 That's the Word of the Holy Spirit to you. 857 00:43:32,958 --> 00:43:34,500 Don't wait any longer. 858 00:43:34,542 --> 00:43:38,167 Today's the day. 859 00:43:38,250 --> 00:43:40,792 Look at the response. 860 00:43:40,833 --> 00:43:43,750 Back to our text. 861 00:43:43,833 --> 00:43:48,500 Verse 40, "And with many other words he bore witness 862 00:43:48,542 --> 00:43:51,083 "and continued to exhort them, saying, 863 00:43:51,167 --> 00:43:54,583 'Save yourselves from this crooked generation.'" 864 00:43:54,667 --> 00:44:01,333 Verse 41, "So those who received his word were baptized, 865 00:44:01,417 --> 00:44:06,667 and there were added that day about three thousand souls." 866 00:44:06,708 --> 00:44:11,667 Wow, what an impactful sermon! 867 00:44:11,708 --> 00:44:16,833 Spirit-empowered preaching is impactful. 868 00:44:16,917 --> 00:44:20,375 Three thousand souls were added. 869 00:44:20,458 --> 00:44:23,833 Last year, we experienced the greatest year of growth 870 00:44:23,917 --> 00:44:26,167 that we've ever experienced at Mars Hill Church, where 871 00:44:26,250 --> 00:44:29,750 we added 3,000 new people in the course of a year, 872 00:44:29,833 --> 00:44:31,667 spread out over 14 churches. 873 00:44:31,750 --> 00:44:37,500 In a single day, the church went from 120 to 3,120. 874 00:44:39,167 --> 00:44:43,542 That's the impact of Spirit-empowered preaching, 875 00:44:43,625 --> 00:44:48,000 because Spirit-empowered preaching, through it, 876 00:44:48,042 --> 00:44:49,792 non-Christians become Christians, 877 00:44:49,833 --> 00:44:52,000 and Christians become more like Jesus, 878 00:44:52,042 --> 00:44:54,958 and the movement of Jesus and the mission of Jesus 879 00:44:55,000 --> 00:44:58,292 gains momentum. 880 00:44:58,333 --> 00:45:02,333 Mars Hill Church, do we, week in and week out, 881 00:45:02,417 --> 00:45:05,292 have the sheer pleasure of listening to 882 00:45:05,333 --> 00:45:08,375 Spirit-empowered preaching, yes or no? 883 00:45:08,458 --> 00:45:10,083 Yes. 884 00:45:10,167 --> 00:45:14,875 What is the outcome of Spirit-empowered preaching? 885 00:45:14,958 --> 00:45:21,083 Mission happens, a church is birthed, and that church grows 886 00:45:21,167 --> 00:45:25,375 and expands, and lives are transformed, and communities 887 00:45:25,458 --> 00:45:29,875 are changed, and generations and legacies are altered. 888 00:45:29,958 --> 00:45:34,292 Will you be a part of that? 889 00:45:34,333 --> 00:45:37,292 As Pastor Mark shared with you in the video introduction, 890 00:45:37,333 --> 00:45:41,875 I was a part of Mars Hill Albuquerque. 891 00:45:41,958 --> 00:45:45,667 Week in and week out, as we became Mars Hill Church, 892 00:45:45,750 --> 00:45:49,500 we had the benefit of hearing Spirit-empowered preaching. 893 00:45:49,542 --> 00:45:51,750 Lives were changed. 894 00:45:51,833 --> 00:45:53,583 Non-Christians became Christians. 895 00:45:53,667 --> 00:45:58,000 Over 500 people in Albuquerque have been baptized in 3 years, 896 00:45:58,042 --> 00:46:00,750 500 people. 897 00:46:00,833 --> 00:46:02,667 Christians became more like Jesus. 898 00:46:02,708 --> 00:46:05,083 People repented of sin. 899 00:46:05,167 --> 00:46:07,875 Men began to take responsibility for their wives, 900 00:46:07,958 --> 00:46:09,500 for their families. 901 00:46:09,542 --> 00:46:12,583 Biggest issue in Albuquerque is men behaving badly. 902 00:46:12,667 --> 00:46:14,833 Men began to change, Christian men, 903 00:46:14,917 --> 00:46:17,958 and a movement began to take foot, and we began to include 904 00:46:18,000 --> 00:46:20,083 Spanish subtitles. 905 00:46:20,167 --> 00:46:23,083 And would you believe today that the work that Jesus is doing 906 00:46:23,167 --> 00:46:25,375 through Spirit-empowered preaching 907 00:46:25,458 --> 00:46:27,292 at Mars Hill Albuquerque 908 00:46:27,333 --> 00:46:29,667 is spilling over and crossing borders. 909 00:46:29,750 --> 00:46:31,583 We have, on a regular occurrence, 910 00:46:31,667 --> 00:46:36,375 pastors coming up from Mexico, driving hours and hours on their 911 00:46:36,458 --> 00:46:39,042 one Sunday off a year, to be at Mars Hill, 912 00:46:39,125 --> 00:46:41,292 simply to serve on the hospitality team, 913 00:46:41,333 --> 00:46:45,292 because Jesus is changing lives. 914 00:46:45,333 --> 00:46:48,583 I want you to be a part of that. 915 00:46:48,667 --> 00:46:50,250 What can you do today? 916 00:46:50,333 --> 00:46:53,167 How do you respond to Spirit-empowered preaching? 917 00:46:53,250 --> 00:46:56,792 Three things, four things, yay, speaking in Proverbs today. 918 00:46:56,833 --> 00:47:00,125 First, be forgiven. 919 00:47:00,167 --> 00:47:03,000 I want you to repent. 920 00:47:03,042 --> 00:47:07,292 I want you to see clearly the greatness of Jesus. 921 00:47:07,333 --> 00:47:10,042 Then I want you, through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, 922 00:47:10,125 --> 00:47:12,750 to see where your life is misaligned with the person 923 00:47:12,833 --> 00:47:15,958 and work of Jesus, and I want you to turn from that sin, 924 00:47:16,000 --> 00:47:18,458 and I want you to trust Jesus. 925 00:47:18,500 --> 00:47:21,500 Second thing I want to see you do is be filled with 926 00:47:21,542 --> 00:47:22,875 the Holy Spirit. 927 00:47:22,958 --> 00:47:25,042 It's through repentance that we not only receive 928 00:47:25,125 --> 00:47:28,167 the Holy Spirit, but we become filled with the Holy Spirit. 929 00:47:28,250 --> 00:47:31,000 Christian, there's no greater joy 930 00:47:31,042 --> 00:47:34,542 this side of the kingdom of God 931 00:47:34,625 --> 00:47:37,375 than being filled with the Holy Spirit. 932 00:47:37,458 --> 00:47:41,667 May you be filled with the Holy Spirit. 933 00:47:41,750 --> 00:47:43,292 I want you to be baptized. 934 00:47:43,333 --> 00:47:46,000 If you've not been baptized, don't wait another day. 935 00:47:46,042 --> 00:47:49,750 Right here, right now, the local lead pastors will explain to you 936 00:47:49,833 --> 00:47:56,292 in just a moment how you can be baptized, right here, right now. 937 00:47:56,333 --> 00:47:59,000 Fourth thing I want you to do is belong. 938 00:47:59,042 --> 00:48:01,208 Pastor Mark will pick up these verses next week, 939 00:48:01,292 --> 00:48:03,167 but here is the outcome of this message: 940 00:48:03,208 --> 00:48:04,667 people repented from sin. 941 00:48:04,750 --> 00:48:06,292 They were baptized. 942 00:48:06,333 --> 00:48:08,042 They were filled with the Holy Spirit. 943 00:48:08,125 --> 00:48:10,792 The church grew by 3,000 people and every day, 944 00:48:10,833 --> 00:48:13,792 those people came together in a large group for worship, 945 00:48:13,833 --> 00:48:15,667 then they would go into their homes. 946 00:48:15,750 --> 00:48:18,250 They would meet large group, small group. 947 00:48:18,333 --> 00:48:21,167 I want you to belong to Mars Hill Church. 948 00:48:21,250 --> 00:48:27,792 I want you to come here Sunday in and Sunday out. 949 00:48:27,833 --> 00:48:32,083 As we look at our attendance numbers week in and week out, 950 00:48:32,167 --> 00:48:35,083 here's something that's a little bit perplexing: 951 00:48:35,167 --> 00:48:37,833 we can see new people are constantly coming through 952 00:48:37,917 --> 00:48:40,875 the door, but we can see that our attendance numbers aren't 953 00:48:40,958 --> 00:48:45,083 increasing in a proportionate number, so what we're estimating 954 00:48:45,167 --> 00:48:50,792 is that many of us don't come on Sunday consistently. 955 00:48:50,833 --> 00:48:53,792 I want you to be here on Sunday because when you're here 956 00:48:53,833 --> 00:48:56,083 and Spirit-empowered preaching happens, 957 00:48:56,167 --> 00:48:58,167 while you're gathered with the people of God, 958 00:48:58,208 --> 00:49:01,333 the Holy Spirit manifests his presence in very unique 959 00:49:01,417 --> 00:49:04,000 and encouraging and life-changing ways. 960 00:49:04,042 --> 00:49:05,667 Don't miss out on that. 961 00:49:05,708 --> 00:49:08,583 If you miss, I love that you go online and you listen 962 00:49:08,667 --> 00:49:10,792 to the message--that's great-- and then you participate 963 00:49:10,833 --> 00:49:12,167 in your Community Group. 964 00:49:12,250 --> 00:49:14,833 But be here as often as you can because amazing things 965 00:49:14,917 --> 00:49:17,167 are happening week in and week out. 966 00:49:17,250 --> 00:49:20,375 Be in a Community Group. 967 00:49:20,458 --> 00:49:23,500 Share with someone else the amazing things that 968 00:49:23,542 --> 00:49:25,958 you're experiencing, the way that you're being transformed 969 00:49:26,000 --> 00:49:28,000 through Spirit-empowering preaching. 970 00:49:28,042 --> 00:49:30,667 Would you do that? 971 00:49:30,708 --> 00:49:33,000 We're gonna respond now. 972 00:49:33,042 --> 00:49:37,167 We're gonna respond to the person and work of Jesus. 973 00:49:37,250 --> 00:49:40,167 We're gonna respond by collecting an offering. 974 00:49:40,250 --> 00:49:42,750 We're gonna respond by celebrating Communion. 975 00:49:42,833 --> 00:49:44,792 And in Communion what we do, 976 00:49:44,833 --> 00:49:46,833 once again, is we remind ourselves, 977 00:49:46,917 --> 00:49:48,375 through the bread and the wine 978 00:49:48,458 --> 00:49:50,542 that it's through Jesus' shed blood, 979 00:49:50,625 --> 00:49:52,667 it's through Jesus' broken body that we have 980 00:49:52,708 --> 00:49:54,042 the forgiveness of sin. 981 00:49:54,125 --> 00:49:55,833 We're gonna sing loud. 982 00:49:55,917 --> 00:49:58,083 Some of us are gonna be baptized. 983 00:49:58,167 --> 00:50:01,250 I want to invite our financial stewards to come forward, 984 00:50:01,333 --> 00:50:02,792 and as they're coming forward today, 985 00:50:02,833 --> 00:50:05,083 I want to show you something that 986 00:50:05,167 --> 00:50:06,500 you're going to be excited about. 987 00:50:06,583 --> 00:50:09,000 I want to show you what Jesus is doing at 988 00:50:09,083 --> 00:50:10,417 Mars Hill Church Bellevue. 989 00:50:10,500 --> 00:50:14,000 So as they're coming forward, I want you to see what's happening 990 00:50:14,083 --> 00:50:15,958 at Mars Hill Bellevue. 991 00:50:16,000 --> 00:50:18,458 Howdy, Pastor Mark here at Mars Hill Bellevue with 992 00:50:18,500 --> 00:50:21,333 Pastor Thomas Hurst, and we're about an hour before church 993 00:50:21,417 --> 00:50:22,833 gets started. 994 00:50:22,917 --> 00:50:26,042 It gets started real early here today. I thought it'd be cool 995 00:50:26,125 --> 00:50:29,750 to let folks see a little bit of where we meet on Sundays here in 996 00:50:29,833 --> 00:50:32,458 Bellevue and hear a little bit about what's going on with 997 00:50:32,500 --> 00:50:35,167 the Hurst family and also what's going on with the family 998 00:50:35,208 --> 00:50:36,542 here at Mars Hill Bellevue. 999 00:50:36,625 --> 00:50:39,542 So, maybe start with your family. You guys got good news recently. 1000 00:50:39,625 --> 00:50:40,958 Yeah, we did. 1001 00:50:41,000 --> 00:50:43,917 Got some great news that right now Angie is clear of cancer. 1002 00:50:44,000 --> 00:50:46,458 So your wife got diagnosed with cancer, how long ago? 1003 00:50:46,500 --> 00:50:48,958 It'll be a year in July. 1004 00:50:49,000 --> 00:50:51,958 OK, and that was traumatic 'cause she's super healthy. 1005 00:50:52,000 --> 00:50:53,625 You guys didn't expect anything. 1006 00:50:53,667 --> 00:50:55,667 She's pregnant and you're expecting to have another 1007 00:50:55,708 --> 00:50:59,042 healthy baby, and she goes in and finds out she's got cancer. 1008 00:50:59,125 --> 00:51:00,625 Yeah. 1009 00:51:00,667 --> 00:51:03,833 And that was certainly a incredibly difficult time, 1010 00:51:03,875 --> 00:51:06,500 but God continues to bless us through that. 1011 00:51:06,583 --> 00:51:09,417 The church family has rallied around us and really shown us 1012 00:51:09,500 --> 00:51:12,833 the love of God just through the way that they've served us, 1013 00:51:12,875 --> 00:51:15,708 and loved us and prayed for us and cared for us so-- 1014 00:51:15,792 --> 00:51:17,625 But after her treatment, 1015 00:51:17,667 --> 00:51:19,833 she's doing good. So, there's your family 1016 00:51:19,875 --> 00:51:22,625 and around that is the Mars Hill Bellevue family. 1017 00:51:22,667 --> 00:51:25,583 What's going on here and what are you expecting to see 1018 00:51:25,667 --> 00:51:27,000 in the future? 1019 00:51:27,042 --> 00:51:30,625 Well, I would tell you that if I could sum it up in a word, 1020 00:51:30,667 --> 00:51:32,000 it'd be explosion. 1021 00:51:32,083 --> 00:51:33,500 We're now at four services. 1022 00:51:33,583 --> 00:51:35,292 People continue to come to this church, 1023 00:51:35,333 --> 00:51:38,000 be a part of this church, and grow in this church. 1024 00:51:38,083 --> 00:51:39,708 And just like the city around us, 1025 00:51:39,792 --> 00:51:41,500 Bellevue's just an exciting place. 1026 00:51:41,583 --> 00:51:43,125 So much is happening. 1027 00:51:43,167 --> 00:51:46,417 In the last 10 years, we've seen the--we've seen people 1028 00:51:46,500 --> 00:51:49,125 who are 18 or less, triple. 1029 00:51:49,167 --> 00:51:53,208 We've seen 176% growth in the population here in Bellevue, 1030 00:51:53,292 --> 00:51:56,208 and I think one of the most exciting things we've seen is 1031 00:51:56,292 --> 00:51:59,208 we've seen the median age in the last 10 years in Bellevue 1032 00:51:59,292 --> 00:52:01,000 go from 57 to 34. 1033 00:52:01,042 --> 00:52:03,167 And our church is really starting to represent that. 1034 00:52:03,250 --> 00:52:05,667 We're seeing a lot of different types of people here, 1035 00:52:05,750 --> 00:52:09,375 different cultures of people, and we're really just outgrowing 1036 00:52:09,458 --> 00:52:11,833 this space, even within a year and a half. 1037 00:52:11,875 --> 00:52:14,500 And so, we're already looking for a permanent solution 1038 00:52:14,583 --> 00:52:16,500 somewhere here in the Bellevue area, 1039 00:52:16,583 --> 00:52:18,917 and so that's a great problem to have, 1040 00:52:19,000 --> 00:52:20,417 and so we're very fortunate. 1041 00:52:20,500 --> 00:52:22,167 Absolutely. Well, you're doing a great job. 1042 00:52:22,250 --> 00:52:25,167 We love you, and I know with the church exploding and then 1043 00:52:25,250 --> 00:52:28,333 also with Angie's battle with cancer and losing a baby, 1044 00:52:28,375 --> 00:52:31,500 it's been a very exhausting year for you. 1045 00:52:31,542 --> 00:52:33,000 We love you. 1046 00:52:33,042 --> 00:52:36,583 I mean, you guys are--you guys have been huge friends to Grace, 1047 00:52:36,667 --> 00:52:39,625 I, and the other leaders across the church for many years. 1048 00:52:39,667 --> 00:52:42,625 Anything people lastly could be just in prayer for you for? 1049 00:52:42,667 --> 00:52:45,333 You're carrying a really heavy, significant load. 1050 00:52:45,375 --> 00:52:46,792 Yeah. 1051 00:52:46,833 --> 00:52:48,625 Just continued prayer that, you know, 1052 00:52:48,667 --> 00:52:50,833 that I would just continue to persevere through this. 1053 00:52:50,875 --> 00:52:53,333 I mean, we've still got challenges to face at home 1054 00:52:53,375 --> 00:52:56,333 and we've still got, you know, things to fight through here at 1055 00:52:56,375 --> 00:52:59,042 the church and want to just continue to serve and love 1056 00:52:59,125 --> 00:53:01,625 and care for both the family and the congregation well. 1057 00:53:01,667 --> 00:53:03,125 Absolutely. Well, we love you. 1058 00:53:03,167 --> 00:53:04,500 Thank you, buddy. 1059 00:53:04,583 --> 00:53:06,000 Yeah. Thanks, brother. 1060 00:53:17,000 --> 00:53:20,417 Let's pray together and thank God, our Father. 1061 00:53:20,500 --> 00:53:23,625 Father, thank you that you have sought us out. 1062 00:53:23,667 --> 00:53:25,500 Thank you that you’ve brought us together. 1063 00:53:25,583 --> 00:53:27,000 Thank you for Jesus. 1064 00:53:27,083 --> 00:53:30,208 Jesus, thank you that through your life, your death, 1065 00:53:30,292 --> 00:53:35,000 your resurrection, we might be forgiven of sin through 1066 00:53:35,083 --> 00:53:37,625 repentance that you give to us. 1067 00:53:37,667 --> 00:53:40,833 Father and Son, thank you for giving us the Holy Spirit 1068 00:53:40,875 --> 00:53:44,208 to live in us, to fill us, to empower us. 1069 00:53:44,292 --> 00:53:48,708 Holy Spirit, I pray that everyone who needs to respond 1070 00:53:48,792 --> 00:53:52,500 today in repentance and in baptism will respond by 1071 00:53:52,583 --> 00:53:55,625 your enabling, all for the glory of Jesus. 1072 00:53:55,667 --> 00:53:58,667 In his great name we pray together, amen. 1073 00:54:01,000 --> 00:54:03,917 Each year, over 10 million Mars Hill church sermons 1074 00:54:04,000 --> 00:54:07,000 are downloaded worldwide for free. 1075 00:54:07,083 --> 00:54:09,625 This ministry is generously supported 1076 00:54:09,667 --> 00:54:12,250 by Mars Hill church members and listeners like you. 1077 00:54:12,333 --> 00:54:15,833 If you'd like to support our efforts to preach Jesus to the world, 1078 00:54:15,875 --> 00:54:18,833 Please consider making a tax-deductible donation 1079 00:54:18,875 --> 00:54:21,708 by visiting marshill.com/give.