OPENING PRAYER
"Man Shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God"- Matthew 4:4- "My mother and brothers are those who hear the Word of God and do it" - Mark 8:21
Having received this day as a gift, I (We) thank You Holy Trinity, for through Your goodness and patience You were not wrathful with me (Us), and idler (s) and sinner (s), neither have You cast me (Us) down in my (Our)sins...But You have shown Your love towards me (us) and have guided me (us) to keep my (our) daily watch to glorify Your power...Enlighten my (our) mind (minds) to study Your teachings in Scripture...Help me (us) to apply what I (we) learn and to praise You with all my (our) heart and glorify Your Holy Name, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and forever...Amen!!!
Shine within my (our) hearts, loving Master, the pure Light of Your Divine Knowledge, and open the eyes of my mind that I may understand Your teachings...Instill in me (us) also reverence for Your Blessed commandments, so having conquered sinful desires I (we) may pursue a spiritual way of life, thinking and doing all those things that are pleasing to You...For You, Christ my God, are my light, and to You I (we) give, glory, together with Your Father and Your Holy Spirit, now and forever...Amen!!!
CHANT PSALM 23
INTO YOUR HANDS LORD YESHUA (JESUS CHRIST) WE COMMIT OUR SOULS AND BODIES, BLESS US AND HAVE MERCY ON US AND GRANT US ETERNAL LIFE!!!
ACTS 2- STUDY GUIDE & BREAKDOWN
DAY: 50 PENTECOST & WITNESS TO THE WORLD
ACTS 2:1-13
2:1: THE DAY OF PENTECOST: also called the Feast of Weeks in the OT- (see Lv 23:16), comes 50 days after Passover and also celebrated as the first fruits of the harvest: As Yeshua (Jesus) was crucified at Passover, the events of Chapter 2 occur 50 days after His death: On the first Christian Pentecost, the unity of assembling WITH ONE ACCORD- (or purpose) IN ONE PLACE provides the environment in which the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in us...
2:3: THE HOLY SPIRIT: coming in the appearance of DIVIDED TONGUES, AS OF FIRE fulfills the prophecy of John the Baptist that Christ would "baptize" you with the "Holy Spirit" and "fire" -(Luke 3:16): This fire is a manifestation of the uncreated energy of God: because God is wholly uncreated, His Power of energy is also uncreated:
2:4-8: THIS IS A FULFILLMENT: of the prophecy of (Joel 3:1) and a divine reversal or recapitulation of the events at the Tower of Babel- (Genesis 11:1-9): In the account of Babel, pride was shown to possess the awesome power to divide, here, the humble reception of THE HOLY SPIRIT is shown to have the overwhelming power to unite, even in diversity: A key lesson of Pentecost is that people hear the gospel in their OWN LANGUAGE!!!
- READ THE ARTICLE "CHRISMATION" ON PAGE 1471 IN MY ORTHODOX STUDY BIBLE
WITNESS TO THE JEWS: PETER'S SERMON
ACTS 2:14-15
2:14-40: PETER'S SERMON: focuses on two prophetic themes: (1): the promised coming of the HOLY SPIRIT- (vv. 14-21); and (2): the resurrection of Christ- (vv. 22-40): This pattern of showing the OT prophecy being fulfilled in Christ is the central means by which the apostles preached the gospel- (see- Acts 8:35): This method of preaching led directly to the multitude's repentance, baptism, and reception of the Holy Spirit- (vv. 38, 39):
THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS COME
ACTS 2:16-21
2:16-21: ON PENTECOST: The first part of Joel's prophecy (vv. 17-19) was fulfilled with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit- The second part (vv.19-21) will be fulfilled at the Second Coming of Christ:
YESHUA (JESUS) IS THE MESSIAH
ACTS 2:22-36
2:25-32: SEE PSALM 15- AND NOTES FROM BIBLE, RUNDOWN IN MY AUDIO VERSION!!!
2:36: THE TERM MADE: refers to Christ's Incarnation and works as a Man, and not to His eternal existence as Lord and God!!!
WHAT SHALL WE DO???
ACTS 2:37-39
2:37: PETER'S LISTENERS WERE CUT TO THE HEART: because they understood and had been prepared by the OT: Almost half of Peter's message is a quotation of OT scriptures: The evidence that Yeshua (Jesus) fulfills these prophecies is overwhelming to them!!!
2:38-39: PETER'S ANSWER: defines Christian life within the Church: We must (1): REPENT, (2) BE BAPTIZED, AND (3) RECEIVE THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT: the baptismal service of the Orthodox Church reflects this way of life: Candidates first repent, confess their sins, and renounce the devil: Second, they are baptized by immersion: Third, they are given the gift of the Holy Spirit through Chrismation!!!
THE FIRST CONVERTS BAPTIZED & THE LIFE OF THE FIRST CHURCH
ACTS 2:40-47
2:42: CENTRAL ELEMENTS OF WORSHIP: that were present at the very beginning continue in the Orthodox Church to this day: APOSTOLIC DOCTRINE BEING TAUGHT IN THE FELLOWSHIP of a common assembly, the breaking of the EUCHARISTIC BREAD, and specific liturgical PRAYERS: prayers is literally "THE PRAYERS" IN GREEK, REFERRING TO SPECIFIC LITURGICAL PRAYERS: the Jews had practiced liturgical prayer for centuries, the preeminent prayers being the Psalms: the Psalms point clearly to Christ, Christians immediately incorporated them into NT worship!!!
2:44-45: HAVING ALL THINGS IN COMMON: was practiced as necessity, for many new converts were far from home: while such communal living is not a mandate for all Christians, it is still practiced in various monasteries: it reminds us that all things belong to God and are for the benefit of all mankind!!!
ISAIAH 55:10-11:
“For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,
And do not return there,
But water the earth,
And make it bring forth and bud,
That it may give seed to the sower
And bread to the eater,
11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me [a]void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
MY WORD: is the Word (Gospel) of Yeshua Hamashiach (Jesus Christ)- It alone ACCOMPLISH GOD'S WILL: Sometimes it can feel that preaching the Gospel is bearing no fruit, but listen up my brothers sisters in Christ, God is always at work whether or not we see visible results or not!!! What a way to end today's Lesson Heather and I were discussing this earlier today, I guess He is telling us both keep the Faith, I'm always at Work!!!
END WITH THE LORD'S PRAYER
JPCE SPIRITUAL TALK
NEVER HOLD BACK
THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD
JEHOVAH SHALOM!!!