What the Spirit Is Saying 2013 / Acts 11:1-18 © 2013 Holland Davis

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INTRODUCTION

All of us have a shelf life I think of the husband who became seriously ill. His wife takes him to the doctor who examines him and runs a complete battery of tests. He tells the man to get dressed and step outside. After the husband is gone, the wife says, "Give it to me straight doctor. What's wrong with my husband?" "Well, your husband is going to die unless you make some drastic changes for him." "Of course doctor, I will do anything to help my husband." "Then this is what you must do. First of all, you must not allow him to have any stress whatsoever. You must make him three healthy meals a day, do whatever he asks you to do, smother him with kisses all the time and tell him how much you love him, give him whatever he wants or needs, spoil him rotten and wait on him hand an foot, and then your husband will live." On the way home the husband says to his wife, "Well honey, what did the doctor say? Am I going to get well?" Without missing a beat the wife says, "Honey, you’re not going to make it."

All of us are going to face the end of our life at some point Psalm 39:4 (NLT) 4 “LORD, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered— how fleeting my life is.

In fact, the Bible tells us that wisdom comes from being aware of how brief life is… Psalm 90:12 (NKJV) 12 So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom.

There are two things that I gather from the Psalmist 1) My time on earth is limited, so I need to be wise in where I put my focus

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Pastor Chuck used to quote CT Studd’s Poem Only one life, twill soon be past. Only what’s done for Christ will last

2) There will come a time in every generation where the baton will be passed from one generation to the next

I believe we are in such a time in history • I think of those who have recently went home to be with the Lord • Paul Crouch, the founder of Trinity Broadcast Network, one of the world’s largest Christian television network, went home to be with the Lord in November of 2013. • Bill Bright, who started Campus Crusades For Christ, went home to be with the Lord in 2003 • And Pastor Chuck Smith, founder of Calvary Chapel and a pioneer in the modern church movement, who went home to be with the Lord in October of 2013 • I think of Billy Graham, the greatest evangelist in history, who just celebrated his 95th birthday… • He announced to the world My Hope America will be his final message • Some have asked, who’s going to take Billy Graham’s place and of course Greg Laurie comes to mind, but Greg Laurie is 61 • Josh McDowell, the leading apologist of our time is 74 • James Dobson, from Focus on the Family is 77 • What this tells me is the Body of Christ in the next few years will experience the loss of many of it’s generals in the faith • And when they go, who will take their place?

The Bible tells us that God always uses a previous generation to speak to another Psalm 145:4-7 (NKJV) 4 One generation shall praise Your works to another, And shall declare Your mighty acts. 5 I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty, And on Your wondrous works. 6 Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome acts, And I will declare Your greatness. 7 They shall utter the memory of Your great goodness, And shall sing of Your righteousness.

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Now this isn’t talking about the youth proclaiming God’s Works to the adults (as I’ve heard preached at youth conferences) • It’s the other way around… • It’s men and women who have had personal encounters with Christ declaring what they remember to the following generation

So I want to talk to two groups of people today… • I want to talk to the seasoned saints and I want to talk to the next generation • And I believe there is something that we as a Jesus movement generation need to impart to this next generation that they might receive the blessings that God has so generously imparted to us • We’re going to do this by looking at Acts 11

First we’ll read the passage, then I’ll make some comparison’s with Today’s Jesus movement and then apply it to us today Acts 11:1-18 (NKJV) 11 The apostles and the believers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. 2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him 3 and said, “You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them.” 4 Starting from the beginning, Peter told them the whole story: 5 “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. I saw something like a large sheet being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came down to where I was. 6 I looked into it and saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles and birds. 7 Then I heard a voice telling me, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.’ 8 “I replied, ‘Surely not, Lord! Nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’ 9 “The voice spoke from heaven a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’ 10 This happened three times, and then it was all pulled up to heaven again. 11 “Right then three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea stopped at the house where I was staying. 12 The Spirit told me to have no hesitation about going with them. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man’s house. 13 He told us how he had seen an angel appear in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa for

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Simon who is called Peter. 14 He will bring you a message through which you and all your household will be saved.’ 15 “As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. 16 Then I remembered what the Lord had said: ‘John baptized with[a] water, but you will be baptized with[b] the Holy Spirit.’ 17 So if God gave them the same gift he gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could stand in God’s way?” 18 When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.”

The first thing I want to point out is this… • I find it interesting that the established believers were suspicious of the new work God was doing amongst the Gentiles

Notice it says… ACTS 11:2-3 2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him 3 and said, “You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them.”

I think of the early history of Calvary Chapel • Calvary Chapel was considered a cult because Pastor Chuck allowed rock music into the church • He was criticized for letting hippies preach in his church • He was criticized for letting bands like Love Song play at church after being saved for 2 weeks

But this isn’t the first time in history that new works of God were criticized by established believers • Martin Luther was condemned as an outlaw because he preached salvation as a free gift of God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ • It was said concerning his hymns that Luther employed his hymns to spread his false doctrine among the people • William Booth was criticized for leaving the conventional concept of a church and pulpit and taking the gospel to the people

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• The religious leaders of his day disagreed with his non-traditional methods and as a result he was forced to leave the church

Here’s my point… • There is a new move of God in the Church today and the question is are you to be like Peter and embrace it or are you going to be like the established believers who criticized it? • Are we risk takers? Willing to open doors for 19 year old preachers like Greg Laurie – who Pastor Chuck gave the opportunity to pastor a church at 19 • Or are we going to criticize the work of God because it doesn’t fit into our safe little theological boxes? • Whenever God moves it’s messy, stretches your theology • I pray that we’re like Peter… willing to risk to follow Jesus

The second thing I want to point out is the first Jesus movement was Spirit led. Acts 11:5 (NKJV) 5 “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision.

And then a few verses down… Acts 11:13 (NKJV) 13 He told us how he had seen an angel appear in his house and say, ‘Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter.

Notice, the Spirit was directing them on both sides • The Spirit was speaking to Peter in a vision and to Cornelius through an angel in order to bring the gospel to the Gentiles • When is the last time you could say you were led by the Spirit? • When is the last time God spoke to you in a dream or a vision? • When is the last time you were directed during a time of prayer?

NOTE: Peter wasn’t anyone special • He was simply seeking the Lord, praying as he normally did and the Spirit led Him… It was supernaturally natural • Recently at the Persian Church meeting at Calvary Chapel Mission Viejo they’ve had Muslim’s coming in and they’re saying

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that a man named Jesus visited them in a dream and they want to know who He is and Muslim’s are coming to Christ

God is still leading by His Spirit… • The Jesus movement has never stopped • I’m not talking about the Jesus movement of the 70’s • I’m talking about the Jesus movement of the New Testament • My question to you is… are you being led by the Spirit?

Those of you who came to Christ during the Jesus movement… • You grew up, got a job, a house, got married, built companies, raised kids and now you just go to church • You love to tell the stories about the glory days of the Jesus movement, but nothing is really happening today • You’re not really serving the Lord like you used to • What happened to you? • When did simply going to church become enough for you? • Where is the excitement of following after the Spirit? • Let me just say on behalf of the next generation… we need you to tell the stories of Jesus – to declare His mighty acts, to speak of His wondrous works • We need you to show us what it looks like to finish well and on fire for Jesus • Maybe you got caught up in the things of the world… it’s time • God isn’t done with you, you need to step up and be a mentor, a spiritual father, a leader in His church… • As the Hymn says… rise up of men of God, be done with lesser things… give heart and mind and soul and strength to serve the King of Kings • You might say… I’m too busy, I’ve got a business to run, a full calendar… maybe it’s time to submit your business, your calendar to the Lordship of Jesus Christ

Third, the Holy Spirit fell when the 1st generation told the stories of Jesus to the next generation… Notice in vs. 15 15 “As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning.

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• Peter preaches Jesus to the Gentiles and the Holy Spirit falls on them just like He did in the upper room • Peter testifying to the Jewish believers says, who am I to stand in God’s way? God did it.

Now, I want to talk to the next generation • I came to Christ at 13… I heard an audible voice say Holland I love you and that day changed my life • I don’t care if you believe in audible voices or not… but I do because I heard it • When I was 17, I was a worship leader at Calvary Chapel Escondido and a man named Lonnie Frisbee came to our church • He prayed for me and the Holy Spirit came upon me in such a way that I could not deny the reality of God • It reminded me of what Jesus said when He said in Acts 1:8 • But you shall receive power, after the Holy Ghost is come upon you and you shall be witnesses to me • When Lonnie Frisbee prayed for me the Holy Ghost came on me with power and it changed my life and it was like the words of Joel 2 came alive in my life where it says… • I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh and your sons and daughters will prophesy and whosoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved • I was one of the sons that began proclaiming the Word of the Lord at the age of 17… • God says He uses the foolish things to confound the wise and I was one of the foolish things God used • I began teaching Bible Studies and preaching the gospel in parks, universities, churches and prisons and I’m still preaching • I believe the Holy Spirit is still pouring Himself out on sons and daughters • I believe He wants to deliver you out of your addictions, your selfish living, your drunkenness, your fornication, your stoned way of life and He wants to use you to proclaim His Word and He doesn’t care what you’ve done…

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• He just wants you to come to Him and let Him use you for His glory • What will happen if you do this? Vs. 18… God will grant repentance that leads to life… you will see your friends be set free • You want to see your friends set free… you need to surrender to Christ totally and completely