## A Closer Look at the Experience

## Acts 2,8,9,10 & 19

Tonight we want to continue to look at God's Word and evaluate the Modern-day Charismatic movement. We have established some things that will help us in this endeavor.

1. The Word of God is the final and complete revelation of God's will to man (the Bible is NOT still being written)

2. Miracles, signs, and wonders are NOT the norm for today, but were used by God in times past to announce and authenticate His mesage and His messengers.

There are three elements in the basic foundation of Pentecostal/Charismatic doctrine.

1. A baptism of the Holy Spirit subsequent to the new birth

2. Normally this is evidenced by speaking in an unknown tongue

3. A basic requirement is to earnestly seek this baptism. For Scriptural basis we are given Acts 2:4, 19:1-7. There are only three places recorded in God's Word where tongues are actually spoken. We want to consider each of these passages and see how the Charismatic doctrine compares.

The book of Acts is a historical narrative covering a crucial period of time from the infant church to Paul's third missionary journey ending with Paul in prison some thirty years later. The only teachings in the book of Acts that we should include in our doctrinal teachings are those which are confirmed elsewhere in Scripture. It is a transitional book where we go from the synagogue to the church, from law to grace, and from a body of Jewish believers to the body of Christ made up of Jews and Gentile believers alike.

I. A Closer Look at Acts 2.

A. The time.

1. "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come..."

2. Pentecost means fiftieth and it refers to the fiftieth day after the Passover.

B. The place.

1. "...the house where they were sitting."

2. This could have been the same upper room of chapter one.

C. The persons involved.

1. Peter and the eleven. v14

2. Previously there had been about 120 assembled together when they chosen Matthias to take Judas' place.

3. However, in this passage we only find a reference to Peter and the eleven.

D. What happened?

1. "And suddenly there came a sound from heaven..."

2. "Cloven tongues like as of fire, ... sat upon each of them."

3. "They were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."

4. The word "tongue" is used three different ways in the Bible.

a. As an organ of speech. cf. James 3:5

b. Used figuratively describing the fire on the day of Pentecost. cf. Acts 2:3

c. As a language. cf. Acts 2:4

5. The twelve spoke, and men from at least thirteen different lands heard and understood in their own languages. cf. Acts 2:5-11

6. The result was that 3000 souls were saved that day. cf. Acts 2:41

E. How does this event in history compare with the present day teaching of the Charismatics?

1. Was this a subsequent experience?

a. They certainly were saved, but they had not received the Spirit of God.

b. The promise of God was yet un- fulfilled for the disciples.

c. Cf. Jn. 7::37-39 Jn. 14:16-17

d. This was an intial experience as the fulfillment of the promise of the Father. Lk. 24:49

2. Did they speak in unknown tongues?

a. The languages that the disciples spoke were certainly unknown to them.

b. However, there is nothing to indicate that they spoke some "heavenly language" known only to God!

c. The fact is that what they said was understood by those who heard as being intelligent words spoken in their native language. cf. Acts 2:8

3. Did this experience come from them earnestly seeking it?

a. The disciples were obedient to the command of Christ in Luke 24:49.

b. The Lord had said, "...tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem until ye be endued with power from on high."

c. They may have been assembled in anticipation of the promise of God, but no where are we told that they were asking or seeking for earnestly for some experience.

d. Scripture tells us that they were in "one accord" and that the filling of the Spirit came suddenly.

II. A Closer Look at Acts 10.

A. The Time.

1. Much has taken place in the first nine chapters of Acts.

2. The church at Jerusalem has grown through various testings both within and without.

3. Stephen is stoned, the church is scattered, Philip preaches in Samaria and to the eunuch, and Saul is converted on the road to Damascus.

4. Perhaps as much as 10 years have passed by the time God tells Peter to go to Cornelius in this tenth chapter.

B. The place.

1. The house of Cornelius, a centurion. page 5

2. Cornelius lived in Caesarea, which was about 60 miles from Jerusalem.

C. The persons involved.

1. Peter and certain brethren from Joppa. v23

2. Cornelius; a gentile, Roman soldier, in charge of 100 men in the Italian band or regiment.

a. Cornelius was a devout man, one who feared God, gave alms, and prayed to God.

b. He was a semi-proselyte to Judaism, but he had not gone to the extent of circumcision.

c. He was not a Christian.

3. Also gathered together in his house were many family and friends.

D. What happened?

1. Peter came in the house and spoke with Cornelius. cf. v25-33

a. Peter explained why he had come to Cornelius' home.

b. Cornelius explained why he had called for Peter.

2. Peter preached the gospel to them that were in the house. cf. v34-43

3. The Holy Spirit fell upon them that heard the word. cf. v44

4. They spoke with tongues and magnified God. cf. v46

5. The Jewish believers were astonished at what they had observed. cf. v45

6. Peter gave them further instruction and remained with them for a few days. cf. v47-48

E. How does this compare with the present day teaching of the Charismatics?

1. Was this a subsequent experience?

a. Absolutely not! These people were not saved prior to this time.

b. Peter preached the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ to them.

c. The whole purpose for him coming was that they might be saved. cf. 11:14

d. The baptism of the Holy Spirit came upon them immediately, there was no gap of time.

2. Did they speak in UNKNOWN tongues?

a. It wasn't unknown to the Jews which were present.

b. They understood them to be magnifying God. v46

c. Remember, these were Gentiles which simply means they were from nations other than Israel.

d. God was confirming that the Gospel was for both Jew and Gentile and so was the Holy Spirit.

e. Note the conclusion of the church at Jerusalem. cf. 11:18

3. Did this experience come from them earnestly seeking it?

a. Certainly, Cornelius was seek- ing the Lord, but there is no indication that he knew anything about the baptism of the Spirit.

b. The Holy Spirit came upon the Gentile believers just as suddenly and un-announced as He did on the day of Pentecost.

c. Note Peter's recollection of the event. cf. Acts 11:15-17

III. A Closer Look at Acts 19.

A. The Time.

1. Paul was on his third missionary journey.

2. This was nearly twenty years after the events of Acts 2.

B. The Place.

1. Ephesus, a city in Asia.

2. The same city spoken of in the book of Revelation and elsewhere.

C. The persons involved.

1. The apostle Paul.

2. Certain "disciples", about 12.

a. They were not disciples of Jesus Christ.

b. They were disciples of John the Baptist.

c. They were people in transition who were still waiting for the Messiah to come.

D. What happened?

1. Paul questioned them. v1-3

a. "Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?"

b. They answered, "We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost."

c. Paul then asked them, "Unto what then were ye baptized?"

d. They answered, "Unto John's baptism."

2. Now, Paul understood their problem. v4

a. He explained the purpose of John the Baptist's ministry to them.

b. And that the Messiah had come, "Christ Jesus".

3. They were then baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. v5

4. Paul laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came upon them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied. v6

E. How does this compare with the present day teaching of the Charismatics?

1. Was this a subsequent experience?

a. No, these disciples of John were not Christians.

b. They had not believed upon Jesus Christ.

c. They had not even heard of the Holy Spirit.

2. Did they speak in UNKNOWN tongues?

a. There is no indication from the Scriptures that this was anything different than the other times where tongues were spoken.

b. They were in Ephesus, but we do not know what their native languages may have been.

3. Did this experience come from them earnestly seeking it?

a. On the contrary, they had been going along for twenty years not even knowing about the Holy Spirit.

b. Paul initiated the conversation with them.

c. Once again the Holy Spirit came upon these disciples suddenly and without them begging or asking for Him to come.

Conclusion: Of the only 3 times we find anyone in Scripture speaking in tongues, none of these events are in line with what is being taught in the present day Charismatic movement. Remember, our standard by which we evaluate anything is the Word of God, and the facts do not support their teaching. God was at work in each of these situations. He was bringing together all sorts of people into a new program, the Local Church, through which He will evangelize the entire world. Acts is a book of transition, not one of doctrinal instruction for the church and the believer today.