Filling of the Holy Spirit that Makes You a Witness of Christ (Acts 2:14-36)
Let us bless one another, Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. May this be the worship and the day where you enjoy the tremendous grace and the power of God. Even right now in the world, there are many groups that gather together, but the works of God are different upon the groups that gather for themselves versus the groups that gather in Jesus’ name. If you are here today for the name of Jesus Christ, then you will have the great works of God upon you. If the reason why you live on this earth is also for the name of Jesus Christ, then you will receive His great power and grace upon you. Satan attacks us with lies that make us live for our name and our glory. Then, the result will be continuously facing problems that we cannot solve, because humans were not created to live on our own since the beginning. Humans were created from the beginning so that we cannot live without God, but we have received the ideologies of the devil and we think we can live on our own, so what exactly do we think we can do on our own?
We can do the things that we see with our eyes, but many people say they cannot do that. Human beings live within the spiritual world. Even right now, there are other thoughts that enter into your mind, and when you are alone, the thoughts that enter into your mind then. You don’t think these thoughts because you want to; they come into your mind regardless of what you want. If you get trapped in those thoughts, then that is the destiny your life is dragged into, but it turns out, those thoughts you were getting are in the flow of your family line, and it’s the stream of the family. We call that, “spiritual,” these thoughts that come into my head regardless of what I want. I have these kinds of thoughts and my parents also have these kinds of thoughts. This is the way the forces of darkness work without us seeing it. But we just pass by without giving this a second thought, but if you just stay that way, this will determine your life. But, in that moment, what happens when you think of God’s Word? Then, that is the moment when the light is shining; then, the darkness will run away, and God begins to work.
I hope you will not live according to your emotions, do not live according to your thoughts, do not live according to what enters into your heart; instead, live with the Word of Christ. Then, the darkness will be broken down and God’s Kingdom will start to be established, and answers will begin to appear. When? Right now, always, today. The past is in the past, the future is not here; you must have victory today by living with Christ. Where? Right now, at this time. Even tomorrow will be “right now,” then. As these present moments pile up, the great works of God take place. But the devil keeps on making our heart elevated, worrying about the things of the future or the things of the past. Things that are completely irrelevant to me.
Today, right now, at this time, the Lord is with me, the Word of Christ is with me. When you hold onto this and pray, then the Lord Who is seated at the throne of heaven will send His heavenly angels to fulfill those words. Our will is not fulfilled, but the Word of God is fulfilled, so you must not live according to your will. You must pray for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. “May the Lord’s will be done, may the Lord’s will be fulfilled.” That is a prayer that receives answers, but I think there are people who don’t understand prayer that well. How do we pray? We pray for God’s will to be fulfilled, for God’s plan to be fulfilled. It’s so easy and simple. How must we live? We live with the Word of Christ. My thoughts, my emotions, there are so many things as I live my life, and our actions follow our thoughts, and our thoughts live according to the words of Christ. That is living the correct life. It’s so simple, isn’t it? It may sound so simple, but as soon as we go out into the field, there are many different thoughts that bombard our brain, that is why we must always remember the covenant God gave us. No matter what situation you face, remember God’s covenant. You hold onto His promise and pray. Pray for God’s Kingdom to be established; then, the Lord Who is seated at the throne of heaven will answer my prayers and be with me.
What are the problems you’re facing? It’s not a problem to God, it only seems like a problem because you’re holding onto it. But if Christ becomes my Lord, then even that problem turns into God’s answers and plan. You must enjoy this blessing well today. Receiving the filling of the Holy Spirit means that you are enjoying the resurrected Lord being with you.
The title of today’s message is, “Filling of the Holy Spirit that Makes You a Witness of Christ.” If you are filled with the Holy Spirit, some people might start speaking in tongues or do the works of healing, or other works may take place, but that is not what’s important at all.
1. Incident of the filling of the Holy Spirit
1) Peter’s sermon (Acts 2:14)
(1) Made them understand (Acts 2:14)
Through Peter’s sermon today, we see that the filling of the Holy Spirit makes us witnesses of the resurrected Christ. The members of the Early Church prayed in Mark’s Upper Room for 10 days, holding onto God’s promise, and then the filling of the Holy Spirit came upon them. The “filling of the Holy Spirit” means it completely takes over our spirit, mind, and body. Because we believe in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit dwells within us, but the “filling of the Holy Spirit” means that the Holy Spirit completely takes over us. It means you completely entrust the baton to the Lord; then, the Holy Spirit of the Lord completely takes over me.
(2) 9 am in the morning – not drunk (Acts 2:15)
This is the first time in history this happened, so everyone around the members of the Early Church thought they were drunk. God is giving His sermon about this situation through Peter. You must receive the answer to every situation through the Word. You must not interpret the situation with your own experiences. The people around had seen many drunk people in their lives and they’d never seen the filling of the Holy Spirit, so they assumed these people were drunk. You must not interpret with your experience, but confirm it with the Word. The sermon is what helps with that. So, what does Peter say about the situation? “Let me explain this to you.” When the Holy Spirit came upon him, he taught people with the Word of God. He said, “These people are not drunk as you suppose; it’s only 9 am in the morning,” then what exactly is going on here?
(3) Fulfillment of the Word spoken through the prophet Joel (Acts 2:16)
This is the fulfillment of what the Prophet Joel said in the Old Testament, Joel 2. The Word of God is fulfilled no matter what. Your thoughts may not come true but the Word of God will always be fulfilled. When your children move with the Word of Jesus Christ, then this Word will be fulfilled in their future, but most people think useless thoughts. They only think of what will be a benefit to themselves. Instead, think with the Word of God, then what’s going to happen? You will receive strength from your thoughts, you will receive strength in your emotions, you will have strength in your life. This is how people change, just with the Word. Through today’s worship, may you receive this Word of God.
2) Afterward (Joel 2:28) – in the last days (Acts 2:17)
Then what exactly is the Word spoken in Joel 2:28-30? It says, “Afterward,” meaning the end times, “I will pour out my Spirit on all people.” When the Lord said, “afterward” or the “end times,” He is talking about after Jesus Christ’s resurrection, until His second coming. So, it was prophesied that after Jesus Christ died on the cross and resurrected, until His second coming, God will pour out His Holy Spirit on all people. So, what the people were seeing right now were not a bunch of drunken people speaking in different languages; this was the fulfillment of God’s promise of the Holy Spirit coming upon His people. So, whatever situation you’re in, you must find the interpretation through God’s Word. There are family lines that have worshiped idols for generations. It says in the Bible that for anyone who worships idols, God will repay the price of their sin for three or four generations, but for those who love and believe in Jesus Christ, God will bless them for a thousand generations.
So, no matter what situation or work you are facing, find the answer in the Word. Why is my family struggling so much with mental illness? Why does my father struggle so hard from alcoholism and die from that? You need to find the Word of God regarding your situation, because the Word of God is there, and when the Word of God comes into me, then the word of God begins to move our lives. Why is my family always so powerless and poor? Why do you think that happens? You must restore the Word. All of the problems in our family and family line are an opportunity to restore God’s Word.
(1) Pour out God’s Spirit on all flesh (Acts 2:17)
(2) Sons and daughters – will prophesy (Acts 2:17)
(3) Young – see visions (Acts 2:17)
So, when the Holy Spirit is poured upon all people, it says, “Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.” This means that these people will speak of the things that are yet to come. For young people, instead of worrying about what college you’ll go to or what job you’ll have, you will see visions and prophesy. The young people, instead of worrying about getting into a little bit better company or getting a little bit better promotion, you will see the visions of God.
(4) Old – dream (Acts 2:17)
It says, “Old men will dream dreams.” Once people retire, they lose their dreams. People have gone to the same job for 40 years, and one day, they wake up in the morning, put on their necktie, and they have nowhere to go. At least when they were working, they had to go to work every day, but one day, after they retire, they wake up in the morning and now, they have no place to go. Do you know what it feels like at that moment? I was meeting with my friends in Korea, and it’s so easy to meet with them right now because they have nothing to do since they’re retired. Even during the middle of the week, it’s so easy to meet with them. I asked them, “Why is it so easy to meet with you now?” and they said, “I have nothing to do since I retired.” At least in the past, when they were on the Samsung leadership board, they were very busy, living their lives, and now I have to listen to what they say. How did my friends change after they retired? So, for all of our senior deaconesses and elders, after you retire, what do you do every day? You must lie with a dream. What happens if you don’t have a dream? Then you’ll just wonder when you’ll die, “When is my life going to end?” But that is not the filling of the Holy Spirit. Even the elderly, even the retired, may you have a dream. That dream is not visible, but no one can take it away. The young people, your vision, no one can take that away.
If your vision is about getting into a better college or better job, then even if you accomplish that, your life will still not be fulfilled. It’s the vision of God. The Holy Spirit came upon the prophets in the Old Testament. Then, they always prophesied, had visions, and dreamed dreams. So, when the Holy Spirit comes upon you right now, you’ll prophesy, have visions, and dream dreams. So what happened in these three things upon the prophets in the Old Testament? Their message was always, “Turn away from your idols and wait for the Messiah Who is yet to come. Come back to the Lord, and wait for the day of Christ Jesus.” That was the message that was given through the Holy Spirit upon the prophets of the Old Testament, through their prophecies, visions, and dreams.
Now, in the New Testament, when the Holy Spirit gives us prophecies, visions, and dreams, we have the message of the Lord Jesus Christ’s second coming, and when the Lord’s second coming approaches, the Kingdom of God will be completed. As we see that, we are living with the prophecy, vision, and dream of world evangelization. The Kingdom of Jesus, the Kingdom that breaks down the kingdom of Satan. We start talking about that. Young people will study as they talk about the Kingdom of Jesus, and the old, elderly people will live their lives with that dream. The young people will live with that vision. So, when you receive the filling of the Holy Spirit, your spirit, mind, and body come to life. Yes, we face many problems but it doesn’t matter. Nothing can block the vision from God, and the prophecy you’ve been given by God will be fulfilled exactly. When you receive the filling of the Holy Spirit, you are filled with Christ.
3) At that time – the time of judgement
(1) Wonders in the heavens, signs on the earth (Acts 2:19)
Then, in Acts 2:19, what happens when Jesus Christ comes? In Acts 2:19, it says, “I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below.” In Acts 2:20, it says, “But everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” There used to be people who asked me to talk about the book of Revelation, because members of the church need to know about that, and I would always respond to them, “Even the greatest theologian, John Calvin, didn’t give sermons about Revelation.” He didn’t avoid that topic because he lacked knowledge, his reason is because revelation is about the future, so you can interpret it however you want.
(2) Before the great and magnificent day of the Lord comes (Acts 2:20)
It says in today’s scripture, that when the Lord’s second coming approaches, there will be signs like the darkness and the moon turning to blood, but what’s important is that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved. Everyone who calls upon the name of Christ will be saved, so we must focus and concentrate on Christ. We don’t have to concentrate on the signs of the end times. Those are just signs, we must concentrate on calling upon the name of Christ and saving people with that name.
(3) Ones who call upon the name of the Lord (Jehovah) – salvation (Acts 2:21)
In the Old Testament, those who called upon the name of Jehovah will receive salvation. In the New Testament, Peter says, “Those who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.” What’s the difference? Jesus is God, and the Triune God is revealed through Jesus. There are many people who say, “God, God.” Jesus is God, you must speak about Jesus, because we only understand the Word of the Father through Jesus Christ. Through Jesus Christ, we receive the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit tells us the words of Jesus Christ. So, the Triune God and the Holy Trinity reveals itself through Jesus Christ, so it’s not about saying, “God, God,” Jesus is God. There are many religions that call upon God, those are religions of the Old Testament. Jesus is our savior and He is the true God. If you can’t understand what I’m saying, then your life will be hard. You have to understand what I’m saying quickly. Christ is God. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ. We receive the filling of the Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ. The forces of Satan are broken down in the name of Jesus Christ. There are people who go to church for a long time, but they don’t know Jesus well. They’ve heard the name, “God,” a lot but they don’t know Jesus very well. Christ has the authority to cast out darkness and Satan, but they don’t know Christ. Christ is seated at the throne of heaven, and He is reigning over all of creation.
2. Content of the sermon
1) God
(1) Jesus of Nazareth – attested by mighty works, wonders, signs
Jesus Christ has all authority in heaven and on earth. He is the True God. Even before creation, God already planned to send Jesus Christ. That’s why Jesus Christ came to earth as God incarnate, died on the cross, resurrected, and is seated at the throne of heaven now. When the gospel of Jesus Christ is proclaimed to the entire world, then the Lord will come back. During the Lord’s second coming, Jesus Christ will be the judge of all people. So, from the beginning until the end, Christ is the “main” of our life. There must be nothing else other than Christ; it’s not just “God,” Christ is God. God is revealed through Christ. Christ is our Savior, may you be filled with Christ Jesus. You need to know Christ well to know God well. That’s how you can change other religions. Just by saying, “God, God,” you cannot change other religions. You need to know Christ well to know God well. That’s why, those who call upon the name of the Lord, the name of Jesus Christ, will receive salvation.
So, Peter is explaining that the words that were prophesied in Joel 2:28-30 are now being revealed in the Early Church. And then, Peter continues his sermon. A sermon is not given just to satisfy what we want to hear; a sermon is also not Bible study. We are proclaiming, that is a sermon. A sermon is not, “Please do this,” a sermon is, “This will take place.” A sermon proclaims the Word of God. For people who receive that Word, they come to life by God’s grace, then what should be the content of the sermon? We can look at the content of Peter’s sermon in the Early Church.
(2) God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge – handed over (Acts 2:23)
Acts 2:22, “Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know.” So, the sermon is explaining and proclaiming everything that Jesus Christ did during His time on earth. “This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge,” so, this was pre-planned. “And you, with the help of wicked men, put Jesus to death by nailing Him onto a cross.” Who crucified Jesus on the cross? Every single one of us crucified Jesus on the cross, because I am a sinner and I rejected Jesus. As a representative of that, the people who physically crucified Him 2000 years ago are just an example of us, but if we lived 2000 years ago, we would have wanted to crucify Jesus Christ exactly the same.
(3) You crucified and killed Him (Acts 2:23)
So, I killed Jesus; that’s why we are sinners. If I believed in Jesus, I would have fought against that, but we crucified Jesus. We did not receive salvation because we are holy. I was a sinner, but God had the plan and the grace to save me. In that place where people were spitting on Jesus, hitting Him, cursing Him, blaming Him, you and I were also there. Otherwise, what does the cross have to do with me? It happened 2000 years ago. What does it have to do with you? Why is the Word saying, 2000 years ago, we crucified Jesus on the cross? Because every single one of us was in that seat, blaming Jesus; that’s why we’re sinners.
(4) Raised from the agony of death (Acts 2:24)
But God raised Him from the dead, freeing Jesus from the agony of death. Jesus received the price of all of our sins and went down to hell. Because of our sin, we must die and go to hell, but the Lord took that price for us, for it is impossible for death to keep its hold on him. So the Lord was resurrected from death. Satan, who has the authority over death, killed Jesus through Pontius Pilate. Satan has the authority of death. All human beings must die because of sin, and the devil holds onto death with his authority. That’s why Jesus Christ actually died under that authority. Jesus did not have to die because he had to listen to the devil’s words, God allowed Him to die on the cross. That was God’s plan, but the authority of death is in Satan’s hand. Yet, Jesus resurrected in three days, He overcame the death. We will also overcome death. In the name of Jesus Christ, we overcome sin and death. Even if evil spirits charge against us, we overcome that in the name of Jesus Christ. No matter what situation we face, we must overcome it with the name of Jesus Christ. Even if we die, we will live. But when people get a disease, they don’t die because of their disease; they die because of their spiritual and mental problems. If you have a disease, you must enjoy Christ. Even if I die, I live. Even death cannot stop me. And David enjoyed this in the Old Testament.
2) David – concerning Jesus (Acts 2:25)
(1) Saw the Lord always before me (Acts 2:25)
What did David, who received the filling of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament see and feel? Acts 2:25 says, “David said about Him: ‘I saw the Lord always before me.’” In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit did not dwell within people; it just worked around people. So, when the Holy Spirit went upon David, he saw the Lord Jesus. David said, “I saw my Lord always before me.” He saw Jesus through faith. And it wasn’t occasionally, it was always. 1000 years before the Early Church, before Jesus Christ was born, he saw Jesus through the Holy Spirit’s work. “Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”
(2) So that I would not be shaken (Acts 2:25)
(3) He is at my right hand (Acts 2:25)
Because the Lord is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. So when the Holy Spirit comes upon us, we enjoy Jesus’ death and resurrection. There are many things that shake us, aren’t there? Whenever we face a problem or circumstance, we shake. That’s normal. It’s so big but that’s not enough. Because the Lord is with me, I will not shake. So, to be filled with the Holy Spirit means, you are enjoying the resurrected Lord being with you right now through faith. Even when you are suffering because of mental illnesses and wildly shaking, you hold onto the resurrected Lord Who is with you. So, you should not follow after your shaking. The Lord is with me and He is living now.
3) Therefore (Acts 2:26)
(1) My heart is glad (Acts 2:26)
Then David said, “Therefore, my heart is glad,” what was he glad about? “Because the Lord is with me now, my heart is glad.” What makes you happy? You are happy when your work goes well, right? Or you’re sad because your work is not going well. Or, you get depressed when you don’t get your way. But when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you will see that the Lord is with you and your heart will be glad. The answer is already with us, but because we don’t know this, we have to wander around, looking for answers. If your heart is glad, then that’s true happiness. If your heart is peaceful, isn’t that true happiness? You don’t get happiness from going on vacations, and true happiness isn’t because you meet and marry someone you like, and you don’t get true happiness from accomplishing your goals of success. Because Christ is alive and is with me now, I am happy.
(2) My tongue rejoices, my body also will rest in hope (Acts 2:26)
He says, “My tongue rejoices,” there are so many people who use their tongues to complain and to be upset. With their own tongue, they will blame other people or curse other people and put them down. But if the Holy Spirit is upon us, then we are enjoying the resurrected Lord right at this moment, so our tongues will rejoice and praise and sing. Even my body that will decay will rest in hope, because as we see the resurrected Lord, we enjoy the fact that we will also resurrect. We’re not sad because of our sickness, we’re sad because we don’t believe in the resurrected Lord. Even if we die, we live. No matter what, this physical body will decay, but we enjoy the true resurrection now. Then there’s no way the devil can deceive us. No matter how much the devil tries to shake us, the Lord is with me right now, so I will not shake. My heart rejoices because Christ is with me, that is the moment the disease in your heart will be healed. Our tongues will proclaim and praise the correct message.
(3) Shown me the path of life, fullness of joy (Acts 2:28)
Acts 2:27, “You will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, you will not let your holy one see decay.” God will not leave my spirit in this realm of the dead, He will bring me to heaven. Even my physical body will resurrect in the resurrected body. When the Holy Spirit comes upon us, then we will correctly enjoy the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ. There are some religions or churches that talk about the filling of the Holy Spirit, they’ll say, “Fire, fire, fire,” they’ll speak in tongues, they’ll heal diseases, they’ll do all these types of things, but there’s no Jesus. The Holy Spirit does not testify of our own power. The Holy Spirit allows us to enjoy and testify of Jesus Christ. The resurrected Lord Jesus is with us now through His Holy Spirit. Do you believe that? There’s no other issue; do you believe this? David enjoyed this thousands of years ago, even before Jesus Christ was born, he saw and enjoyed this through faith. And then what did they say?
3. Jesus Christ
1) David (Acts 2:30)
(1) Knew that one of his descendants would sit on his throne
In Acts 2:30, Peter said this about David, “he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne.”
(2) Saw in advance (Acts 2:31)
(3) Spoke of the resurrection of the Christ (Acts 2:31)
And Acts 2:31, “Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay.”
2) Peter
(1) God raised Jesus to life (Acts 2:32)
(2) We are witnesses of it (Acts 2:32)
(3) Received the promised Holy Spirit from the Father, poured it out
So, God saved this Jesus, and we are witnesses of that fact, so this is the content of Peter’s sermon. So, the sermon is not trying to motivate you to attain your goals or your motives; it is about testifying of Jesus Christ. We are enjoying Jesus Christ’s death on the cross and His life and resurrection now, and when we receive the filling of the Holy Spirit, we have faith to believe that I died on the cross with Jesus and now Jesus lives in me. We are witnesses of this, we are witnesses of Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection. Because the resurrected Lord lives within me, I am a witness of this. “Pastor, what do I have to say?” Just talk about Jesus. “Jesus died on the cross for me and resurrected and is living in me right now,” speak as a witness of that. When the filling of the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you will enjoy this and you will speak about it naturally.
3) Jesus Whom you crucified (Acts 2:36)
(1) Until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet (Acts 2:35)
(2) Seated at the right hand of God (Acts 2:35)
(3) God has made Him both Lord and Christ (Acts 2:36)
Then in Acts 2:36, it says, “Therefore, let all Israel be assured of this. God made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” Jesus is our Lord, He is our Savior, and He is God. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we will enjoy and proclaim about Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection. You cannot receive grace without Jesus Christ. If someone talks about something other than Jesus Christ, that’s not a sermon. Some people say, “I received so much grace,” when they listened to a sermon that motivates their ulterior motives; that’s not grace. A message that does not have Jesus Christ is not a sermon. Someone who prophecies, has visions, and dreams of the Kingdom of God on this earth, that is the true person. For us, we don’t have retirement, what does that mean? We will dream until the day of Jesus Christ’s Kingdom and we live for the kingdom of Christ. Even if that person is not elderly, they are not old. Their physical body may be older, but inside, they are just like a young person. But, there are some people who are physically young but they don’t see the vision of God and they waste their life with useless visions, so inside, they are old. May you live with the vision of Jesus Christ’s second coming, for His Kingdom and for world evangelization.
Conclusion
1. Filling of the Holy Spirit
2. Lord Who died on the cross and resurrected is with me
In conclusion, when you are filled with the Holy Spirit, you will believe in the Lord Who died on the cross and resurrected and is with me now through the Holy Spirit.
3. Testify to His guidance and working
You are bound to testify about His guidance and working in your life. I bless you in the name of Jesus Christ that you will be filled with Jesus Christ, enjoy Jesus Christ, and testify of Jesus Christ by the work of the Holy Spirit.
Message Prayer
Let us hold onto the Word of the covenant we have received today, and pray together. I will live the rest of my week holding onto this Word in prayer.
Offering Prayer and Newcomer Blessing
God, we thank You. We have returned Your materials as offering. Everywhere this offering is used, may the Kingdom of God be established and the dying souls be saved. May the gospel be proclaimed to the 237 nations and the 5000 unreached tribes, to the very ends of the earth. May our lives be used to testify of this prophecy and dream these dreams and fulfill these visions. May You bless our studies and our jobs that we use for this purpose. May everything be used for the Kingdom of Christ. In Jesus Christ’s name we pray, amen.
God, we thank You. We have given our first worship together, and we pray that this Word of God and the work of the Holy Spirit will be fulfilled upon Peter. And we pray that You will give him the filling of the Holy Spirit every day so he may devote the rest of his life to the work of saving people. In Jesus Christ’s name we pray, amen.
Benediction
Now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the unending love of God, and the indwelling, working, guidance, and fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be upon the heads of all the people of the kingdom of God, the people of all nations, and the remnants who desire to receive the filling of only the Holy Spirit, so they may be a witness of the Kingdom of God to the ends of the earth, be upon all their studies and their fields and their work, be with them now until forevermore and always, amen.
Let us receive the filling of the Holy Spirit that make us witnesses of Christ!