Pentecost

Pentecost, the new mind, a spiritual creation. Of all of God's works, which one is most important to you? I'm not asking about all of the qualities and characteristics of God. Which one of those is most important to you? We all know that God is love, and that is His most outstanding quality or characteristic. It is a part of His essential being.

It is a part of the essential being of God and Christ. They are love. What I'm asking, though, is the most important work. Of all the works that God has or will perform, which one is most important to you?

Of course, God and Christ work hand and glove together in what they do. Hebrews 1-2 says that God created the world through Jesus Christ. We used to play games with our granddaughters of who made the trees, the sun, the moon, the water. And the answer was, God did. The principal work of God and Christ is creation, both physical and spiritual. God, through Christ, created spirit beings millions of years ago, and after that He created the earth. And we see that from the Scripture.

Let's look first of all at Colossians, that tell us clearly that all things were made through Christ. God and the Father work hand and glove in the creation process and also in the salvation process. So we're looking now at Colossians. And in Colossians 1, we'll begin in verse 13. Who hath delivered us, that is God the Father, from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son.

This is one of the places that you will see kingdom of His dear Son. About the only place. In fact, usually it's kingdom of God, but it's also the kingdom of God and Christ, both who will rule and reign supreme in the kingdom. In whom we have redemption, that is buying back power through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins. Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature. For by Him, all things are created that are in heaven, that are in the earth, visible, invisible. Whether they be thrones, or dominions, principalities, or powers, all things were created by Him and for Him.

And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist. Now, you notice that whether they be thrones, dominions, principalities, visible, invisible, that of course includes the angelic realm. So we know that at some point in eternity that God and Christ had this agreement of how they were going to work out the great plan of salvation. And we look at Job chapter 38 and we'll see, by deduction, we come to the conclusion that the angelic realm was created before the physical realm. Because here we see in Job 38 that the morning stars, the sons of God, the angelic realm, shouted for joy when they saw God suspend the planets in their positions, and especially this beautiful orb called the earth.

In verse 5 of Job 38, who hath laid the foundations thereof, if you know, or who has stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened, or who laid the cornerstone thereof, when the morning stars, saying together, and all the sons of God, shouted for joy? So by deduction there, we conclude that the angelic realm was created before the physical realm. So God, of course, through Christ, created the spiritual realm before He created the physical realm.

And now God is creating in us holy righteous character. His principal work of creation with regard to holy righteous character began 1986 years ago. On this day, 31 A.D., the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was sent to humanity. And that Holy Spirit was sent not just to dwell with man. God's Spirit had dwelt with man in those through whom He was working, the prophets, through the ages.

But now God's Spirit not only would dwell with man, but dwell in man. Of course, there were some in the Old Testament in which God's Spirit fell upon them. But that was not the case for everyone. You can read in Psalm 51 where David prayed, Take not your Holy Spirit from me. You can read about Saul. It says that the Holy Spirit came upon Saul and he became a different man. Then you can read about where after Saul rebelled and did not kill all of the ones that he was supposed to do when he went down to Ajag and the Amalekites, that God's Spirit departed from him.

So God's Spirit was upon or in some in the Old Testament. But to be begotten to a new creation and to become members of the Israel of God, the Church of God, this foundation began on Pentecost 31 A.D. God's great work of his Spirit dwelling in man. Let's note now a few things about the Holy Spirit and how it comes to us as background as we progress through this.

In John 16, remember that from John 13 to the end of the chapter deals with the last days of Jesus's life here on the earth, especially 13 through 17, dealing with that 24-hour period, basically, of his betrayal and then his crucifixion. In John 15, I don't know what I said, but I think I said 15. In John 15, verse 26, But when the comforter is come, and we'll read later in John 14.26, you might want to jot in your margin, John 14.26, where it says the comforter is the Holy Spirit, But when the comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father.

Sometimes we just read over things and don't really note the detail that is given. Whom I will send from the Father, even the Spirit of Truth, which proceeds from the Father, it shall testify of me. And you also shall bear witness, you have been with me from the beginning. So we see that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father, that it is sent to us through Jesus Christ. Exactly how that takes place to me is somewhat of a mystery. We look at John 14, in verse 26, which I noted earlier, But the comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name.

And Jesus plays a role in it. We'll read more about that in Acts, similar to John 15, 26. It will teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you. And of course, once again, God does not bring things to your remembrance that you have not read and studied. And if you read and study and hide the Word of God in your heart, then those things are there. You know, psychologists divide the human mind into two basic components. One, the conscious mind, the mind of awareness, and then the subconscious mind, I call it the storehouse of memories. And anything that is stored in the storehouse of memories can be emitted into the conscious mind.

And so, one of the things that has proven that musical things are more apt to be emitted into the mind than verbal things. So, hymns and that kind of thing are oftentimes emitted into the conscious mind, but the Word of God also needs to be there so that we can call upon it. Now, look at Acts 2. This is part of Peter's great sermon that he gave on the Day of Pentecost. And we will see here, once again, about the sending of the Holy Spirit and the role that Jesus plays in it. In this case, it is Jesus the Christ, the one who has the anointed one who's been crucified and been resurrected, and we'll start with verse 29. Acts 2 and verse 29.

The detail that is given in the Bible, oftentimes we gloss over. Of course, in the Protestant world now, they have basically glossed over everything, and it's what I call a religion of reductionism that just... Forget about everything else. Just believe on Jesus Christ, and you'll be saved, and that's it. But there's so much wonderful detail that gives you additional understanding of what the whole process is about. So Acts 2, 29.

He's seeing this before spoke of the resurrection of Christ, that His seed was not left in Hades in the grave, neither His flesh did see corruption. This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we are all witnesses. Therefore, being by the right hand of God, exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has shed forth this which you now see and hear. So we see once again in summary that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father, that is, Jesus Christ plays a role in sending it to us. We'll look at one more place. Titus chapter 3 says something somewhat similar to this. Titus 3 will begin in verse 5.

Not by works of righteousness, which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit. We can have a new mind, a new knowing within, a new conscience. And that's part of what the new mind is. The new mind is the spiritual mind, which He shed on us, He the Father shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior. God had already created the angelic realm, as we have noted, way, who knows, hundreds, maybe even millions of years before the day of Pentecost. The process of creating them was not the same as it is with us. Once again, the process of creating that spiritual realm, the angelic realm, was not the same as it is with us. The angelic realm was not even aware of, He spoke, the Logos spoke, and it was done, and this spiritual creation appeared, the angelic realm. You look at Hebrews 1, and we see there the purpose of the angelic realm. The purpose of the angelic realm was to be ministering servants to the heirs of salvation to help God in bringing sons and daughters to glory in His family. You look at verse 5 of Hebrews 1.

For unto which the angel said, He at any time, at any time, you art my Son, this day have I begotten you.

What time did He do that? At any time? No, He never did it. And again, I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to me a Son. Now you look at verse 13 and it repeats this and then goes further in explaining. But to which the angel said, He at any time, sit on my right hand until I make any measure of footstool. Well, the answer is He never did. Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister to them who should be heirs of salvation? So they are God's helpers, oftentimes serving as messengers, helping us in the process of salvation. The angelic realm played no part in them being created. They were created to whatever rank spiritual rank that was, and we know that there are greater and lesser angels. There are the archangels, initially three, the seraphim and the other created spirit beings around the throne of God. But they were created to whatever rank, and they were created perfect. We read in Ezekiel 28 verse 15 that says, in the day that you were created, you were perfect. Speaking of Lucifer, the archangel. But they were given free will. They were given the opportunity to choose whether or not they would develop holy righteous character by obeying God and following Him. So once again, the laga spoke. It was done. The angels were not even aware that they were being created. You look at Psalm 104 verse 24. There are other places you could turn with regard to this. They were created. We could read Hebrews 11.3 that that which is seen was created from that which was not seen. Of course, the angels are invisible but can manifest themselves in the physical sense. In Psalm 104 verse 24, O Lord, how manifold are Your works, in wisdom have You made them all. The earth is full of Your riches. In verse 30 in Psalm 104, You send forth Your Spirit, they are created, and You renewest the face of the earth. We read about in Genesis chapter 1 that the earth was tohu and bohu chaotic and confused, and God's Spirit moved on the face of the waters. We talk about the renewal, the recreation in Genesis chapter 1. That is a vital understanding. So we are created physical, not like the angels who were created perfect spirit beings. Apparently, two-thirds of them remain faithful. Satan was able to deceive and draw one-third of them, as you read about in Revelation 12. We are created physical, subject to death, and after being called or given the opportunity to participate, notice this, we're given the opportunity to participate in the act of having God and Christ create their holy righteous character in us.

The ongoing process of creating holy righteous character in God's sons and daughters is not done by words alone. We are and must be aware of the creation that He is performing within us, and we must earnestly desire that that spiritual creation take place in us. We must be aware of it. More about that later, about that awareness. From 31 A.D. to the present, 31 A.D. to the present, the Day of Pentecost pictures that God is calling out and begetting the first fruits of His spiritual creation. On that day, God and Christ made their very essence the Holy Spirit available to humankind to as many as are called. So let's go to John 14 again and notice that both God and Christ are involved in this, and that both God and Christ dwell in us. I mean, that is so important to understand in us. In John 14, verse 15, If you love me, keep my commandments, and I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another competer, and verse 26 identifies that as the Holy Spirit, that it, of course the rules of grammar in Greek would require, since compoteurs masculine, that the reference pronoun be masculine, but it is not a person, and it may abide with you forever, even the spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it sees him not, neither knows him, but you know him, for he dwells with you, and shall be in you. See, that is one of the great differences between the people of the Old Covenant and the people of the New Covenant. I will not leave you comfortless, I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world sees me no more, but you see me because I live, you shall live also. Of course, if Jesus Christ had not been resurrected and ascended back to the Father, it says in John 16, it says, if I go not away, the compoteur will not come to you.

At that day you shall know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you, he that has my commandments and keeps them, he it is that loves me, and he that loves me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. Judas said unto him, not as carat, Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself unto us, and not unto the world? Well, that manifestation, to a large degree, is the Holy Spirit, and of course, we are to bear fruits of the Spirit. So you look at verse 23. This is our key verse in this point we're making here. Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words, and my Father will love him. And we, the Father and the Son, will come unto him, and make our abode with him. And it's not just with him, it's in him, as we read up above.

It will be in you. Jesus Christ is the firstborn among many brethren. And as such, let's read that verse, Romans 8, and as such he is the first of the first fruits. In Romans 8 and verse 29, For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, and that is part of the process, to become the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. The firstborn among many brethren. Jesus is the first of the first fruits, and he was waved before the Father, and his sacrifice accepted on our behalf.

Now, this is an important point to understand with regard to this. You look at John 20 and verse 17, we're talking about now, Mr. Lucas mentioned the wave sheath in his offertory, that on the weekly Sabbath, the first day after the weekly Sabbath, during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the wave sheath was waved before God as the first fruits of the spring harvest. And like manner, Jesus Christ, the firstborn of the great spiritual harvest, was waved before the Father, and his sacrifice was accepted by the Father. Now, we want to note that in John 20 and verse 17, when some of the apostles and the women came to the tomb on that Sunday morning, and they found the tomb empty, and many of them ran away before this event took place.

In verse 17, well, let's look here above and read into the context. In verse 13 of John 20, they say unto her, Woman, why are you weeping? She said unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. And when she had said this, she turned herself back and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.

Jesus said unto her, Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you seeking? She is supposing him to be the gardener, said unto him, Sir, if you have borne him from here, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away. And Jesus said unto her, Mary, and she turned herself, and said unto him, Rabboni, which is to say, Master. And Jesus said unto her, Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my Father, but go to my brethren, and say to them, that I ascend to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.

Now, some people make fun of this ascension. Are you telling me? Some will say that, after he was resurrected, after this encounter here with Mary at the tomb, that he ascended to the Father and came back to the earth. Well, look at Matthew now. In Matthew 28, he told Mary, Go tell the brethren, and so she did. And so later, we see this taking place in Matthew 28 and verse 9.

He told her at that point, Don't touch me, I am not yet ascended to my Father, not to be touched by anything that would defile. And all humans have sinned and come short of the glory of God. So, we pick it up here in Matthew 28 and verse 5. And the angel answered and said unto the woman, Fear not, for I know that you seek Jesus, which was crucified.

So, Matthew's account, same situation. He is not here, for he is risen, as he said, come see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead, and behold, he goes before you into Galilee. There shall you see him, lo, I have told you. And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy, and did run to bring the disciples word.

And as they went to tell the disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, all hail, and they came, and held him by the feet and worshipped him. Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid, go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and they shall see me. So, the encounter with Mary, don't touch me, and later they held him by the feet. Now you look at Hebrews 9, and we see that Jesus entered into the holy place with a better sacrifice than that of bulls and goats under the terms of the Old Covenant, as it says here, that even under the terms of the Old Covenant, that they offered blood when that covenant was ratified.

In Hebrews 9, verse 22, And almost all things are by the law purged with blood, and without shedding of blood is no remission, because the wages of sin is death. That's why there's no remission unless there is a life to pay for those sins. It was therefore necessary that the pattern of the things in the heavens should be purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. Not the blood of bulls and goats, but the blood of one who is on the God plane, Jesus Christ. For Christ has not entered into the holy place made with hands, which are the figures of the true, but in the heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.

So His sacrifice, the sacrifice of Jesus Christ Himself, and the purifying, and some will ask the question, and here I can only speculate, and you can read all the commentaries you want to with regard to this. Why did the heavenly things have to be purified? Here people through the centuries have confessed their sins, and the only way that sins can be forgiven and we can be purified is through the blood of Jesus Christ. So we read this verse 24 again. For Christ has not entered into the holy place made with hands, which are the figures of the true, but into heaven itself, not into the holy place on earth, the temple made by hands, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us all, nor yet that He should offer Himself often, as a high priest entered into the holy place every year, day of atonement, with blood of others.

For then He must have suffered since the foundation of the world, but now once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And as we noted, He is the firstborn among many brethren, from Romans 8-29. And He is the first of the first fruits. Let's read that, 1 Corinthians 15. He is the first of the first fruits. Hope we are keeping track now because this is all going to come together in a more present way as we go along.

In 1 Corinthians 15 and verse 20, But now as Christ risen from the dead, become the first fruits of them that slept. So, just like the wave sheath that was offered, the physical wave sheath, the first fruits of the spring harvest, as we have noted, Jesus Christ was waved before the Father. That sacrifice was accepted when He did that. So He has become the first fruits of them that slept or that are dead.

For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in His order, Christ the first fruits afterward, they that are Christ at His coming.

God's intent from the beginning. In the Garden of Eden, when Adam and Eve were created and placed in the Garden, His intent was to dwell with man. For them to be His people and for Him to be their God.

We see this in Leviticus 26. We, as you may recall, Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28 are called the blessings and cursings chapters. In Leviticus 26, we note one of the great desires of God from the Garden of Eden to the present, from the creation of humankind in the physical sense to that of creating holy righteous character within us in the present. In Leviticus 26 and verse 11, And I will set my tabernacle among you. Now, what is the significance of that?

I set my tabernacle. It's because that's where He dwelt in that tabernacle under the Old Covenant. When that tabernacle was dedicated, His presence filled it. I'll probably read that scripture. I will set my tabernacle among you, and my soul shall not abhor you.

And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and you shall be my people. So when God delivered Israel out of Egypt, and that final demarcation at the Red Sea, where they crossed over the Red Sea, turn to Exodus 15 now, please. Exodus 15. They saw the Red Sea come back together, and the host of Pharaoh drowned, symbolic of Satan and the demons, and the great victory that was achieved. And after that, they saw all of that take place.

We look at chapter 15, verse 1. Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song under the eternal, and spoke, saying, I will sing unto the eternal, for he had triumphed gorystly, the horse and the rider hath he overthrown in the sea. The Lord my strength and song, He is become my salvation, He is my God, and I will prepare Him inhabitation. I will prepare Him inhabitation, a place for Him to dwell, my Father's God, and I will exalt Him.

Then quickly to Exodus 25, verse 8, and you'll see that Israel did prepare Him inhabitation. Exodus 25, 8, Let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. You follow it? The old covenant dwell among you, dwell with them. The new covenant dwell in you. And you look at Exodus 40, the last chapter, that when this tabernacle was dedicated, then the presence of God filled the tabernacle. Verse 33.

Exodus 40, verse 33. And He raised up the court round about the tabernacle and the altar and set up the hanging of the court gate. So Moses finished the work, then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory, the presence of the eternal filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation because a cloud abode thereon, and the glory, the presence of the eternal filled the tabernacle.

And so that presence was with them throughout all their journeys. They pitched the tabernacle at Shiloh, it was with them. Eventually they began to commit spiritual hordom and idolatry, and they went into slavery, into captivity. And then there was a resurrection... Well, we could talk about after the Shiloh that David built the tabernacle, and we need to include this, that after Shiloh, the Ark of the Covenant even was captured at one time, and David rescued it, and he had built a tabernacle on Mount Zion.

We can't pursue that right now, but very important symbolically. Built a tabernacle on Mount Zion, and the Ark of the Covenant resided there until Solomon's temple was built. And when Solomon's temple was dedicated, this is 2 Chronicles 5, 13, 14, when Solomon's temple was dedicated, the glory of God filled that temple. And so God was dwelling with man. Now, Nebuchadnezzar came against Judah, and the temple was destroyed. And after about 70 years, God permitted Israel, well Judah, in this case, Judah and Benjamin, to return and to build a second temple.

It's called the Second Temple, or the Restoration Temple. The glory of God, the presence of God, did not fill that temple when it was dedicated. You can look at Ezra quickly, Chapter 6, the dedication of that temple. Ezra, Nehemiah. This is Ezra 6.15. The house was finished, this house being the restoration or the Second Temple, was finished on the third day of the month of Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king. The children of Israel, the priests, the Levites, the rest of the children, the captivity, kept the dedication of this house, this house of God with joy, and offered at the dedication of this house of God.

And it lists all the things that were offered and the various things that took place. But there's a glory of God did not fill that temple. You look at Haggai now, the decree was set forth by Cyrus that Judah could return and to build the temple. And for about 18 years or so, not much had been done.

They laid a foundation quickly. They kept the Feast of Tabernacles. But there was resistance among the Jews themselves, resistance among the Samaritans. There was resistance among the leaders of the Persian Empire. So in 520 B.C., God raised up two prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, to help them in completing this temple. And when they finished this work, they looked back at it and said, you know, compared to Solomon's temple, this is as nothing. Now many years, hundreds of years later, Herod greatly increased the size of the temple and beautified it greatly.

It took him a long time to do it. That's the temple that Christ came to. But we're back here now with this temple, the second temple, the Restoration Temple.

In verse 4, Noah, let's read verse 3, Haggai 2.3, Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? That's Solomon's temple. And how do you see it now? Is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing? Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, says the Eternal. Be strong, O Joshua, son of Joseph the High Priest. Be strong, O you people of the land, says the Eternal, and work, for I am with you, says the Eternal, of hosts. According to the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, so my spirit remains among you. See, it was among them. It was with them. But it was not in them.

For thus says the Lord of Hosts, Yet once in a little while, and I will make the heaven, I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land, and I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with glory, says the Eternal of Hosts.

The silver is mine, the gold is mine, says the Eternal of Hosts. The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, says the Eternal of Hosts. And in this place will I give peace, says the Eternal of Hosts, pointing toward the spiritual temple that was to be built, a temple made not with hands, the Church of God. That restoration temple lacked five things. And we'll list those five things, and we will give the spiritual counterpart to it today. It was missing the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark of the Covenant was taken, or it was hidden, and there are a lot of theories and even movies made about Raiders of the Lost Ark, and in search of the Ark of the Covenant, and in search of Noah's Ark, two Arks they were searching for, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and others have searched for the Ark of the Covenant. Some say it is hidden under the Temple Mount. Some say the Falasha Jews took it to Ethiopia. Some say it is in Babylon somewhere, and so are the various things. But the Ark of the Covenant, that physical Ark of the Covenant, in which the two tables of stone has not been recovered. But today, what about it? Today, the law of God is written on our inward parts, as it says in Hebrews, chapter 8, verse 12, also in Hebrews chapter 10.

That restoration temple was missing the sacred fire. Of course, this sacred fire was kept alive during all those years before captivity. Today, we offer up spiritual sacrifices, as it says in 1 Peter 2, verses 4-6. We are to offer spiritual sacrifices. That restoration temple and the priest are missing the Urim and the Thummim. The Urim and the Thummim were consulted before they made big decisions. Today, we have the Word of God to consult, 2 Timothy 3.15.

All scriptures given of inspiration of God is profitable for repute, for rebuke, for rebuke and exhortation, and all long-suffering. That temple was missing the spirit of prophecy. There was no continuing prophet on the scene.

From the days of Malachi down to the time that Jesus Christ appeared on the scene, there is no recorded prophet. Though God did work with some during the period of the inter-testamental period, especially the work of the Maccabees, it should not be noted. In 2 Peter 1.19, you have a more sure word of prophecy, whereunto you do well to take heed. That temple was missing the Shekinah glory, or some pronounce it Shekinah glory. In other words, the presence of God didn't fill that temple. But today, we have the very essence of God in us.

So we look at Acts 7.48. As we're turning there, I'll review those things missing. The Ark of the Covenant, the sacred fire, the Urim and the Thummim, the spirit of prophecy, and the Shekinah glory. In Acts 7, we see here the account of Stephen's inspired sermon, one of the first seven deacons of the church. In Acts 7, verse 48, Albeit the Most High dwells not in temples made with hands, as saith the prophet.

Heaven is my throne, the earth is my footstool, what house will you build me, says the Eternal, or where is the place of my rest? Hath not my hand made all these things. Now you look at Hebrews 8, and every time, well, not every time, but many times when we turn to Hebrews 8, what do I say? Remember that Hebrews does what compares and contrasts elements of the Old Covenant with elements of the New Covenant.

Under the terms of the Old Covenant, remember they came up out of the Red Sea, sang a victory song of the Moses. Exodus 15.23 says, I will build him in a habitation. Exodus 25.8 says, we'll build a sanctuary.

Exodus 40 says, we dedicated it, dedicated it Solomon's Temple, and so on. Those buildings made by hand. Now we look at Hebrews 8, verse 1. Now the things which we have spoken, this is the psalm, we have such a high priest, who has set on the right hand of the throne of the majesty in the heavens a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man. And so you are living stones built up in spiritual house, where Ian dwells the Spirit of God. Since Pentecost 31 A.D., God is calling representatives from all nations kindred people, tongues, to help him establish the new world in which dwells righteousness.

Shortly after Pentecost, in which on Pentecost, those that were gathered there, representatives from all over the Mediterranean world, came in to observe Pentecost, and the manifestation of the Holy Spirit was sent in a very powerful and visible and audible way. But even then, the Jews did not realize that the Gentiles would be included. It was not until Peter received the vision, and we turn now to Acts 10, we'll not spend a lot of time on the vision of the sheet going up and down, where God said, arise and eat.

Peter said, no, my Lord, I've never eaten anything unclean. Finally, Peter comes to realize that he's talking about men and not food. So Peter goes to the house of Cornelius, a Gentile, and this is what happened. In Acts 10, verse 43, To him give all the prophets witness through his name, Whosoever believes in him, Jesus Christ shall receive remission of sins. While Peter yet spoke these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all them which heard the word. This is like a second Pentecost for the Gentiles. And they of the circumcision which believe were astonished.

See, they were there at Pentecost, as many as came with Peter, because on the Gentiles, the ethnos, the nations, it's for everybody also were poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit. For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water that these should be baptized, which have received the Holy Spirit as well as we?

And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord, and then prayed, and they prayed that he would, or beseech him, that they would stay with them, I'm sure, for the purpose of teaching them. Now we turn forward to Acts 15, and we see how that the prophecy of Amos, and the beginning of this Israel of God, the Church of God, is, as you heard in the opening prayer, the Church of God is the kingdom of God in the embryo. If you're at Acts 15, hold your place here, and let's go quickly to Amos 9, and you'll know more clearly what they're referencing here when we read Amos 9.

Let's see. Hosea Joel Amos, and Amos chapter 9. Verse 11, In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that has fallen. Now see, what is tabernacle, what is the main thing it has to do with? Where God placed his presence. In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David, which has fallen, and raise up the breaches thereof, and I will raise up the ruins, and I will build it, as in the days of old, that they may possess the remnant of. In the New Testament, there's controversy here. A lot of commentators, scholars, believe that this should be translated Adam.

It is so in what we're about to read. The vowel point between ADAM and EDOM, but regardless, the meaning remains the same, because it says, And of all the heathen, which are called by my name, says the Eternal that does this, that they may possess the remnant of Edom, and all the nations which are called by my name. Now, when they come together in Jerusalem for this great conference, the great question of circumcision, do the Gentiles have to be circumcised to be in the New Covenant?

And after Peter and Paul gave their testimony about Gentiles, Paul and Barnamos talked to the work that they had done among the Gentiles. Peter talked about what had happened in the account we just read in Acts 10. And so James, the resident pastor, stands up. We'll start in verse 13.

I mean, what we're doing here today, in putting all these scriptures together, it should encourage you to study the Bible more intently and with greater focus on what is really being said. And after they held their peace, James answered, saying, Me and a brethren listened unto me. Simeon, or Peter, had declared how God at first did visit the Gentiles and take out of them a people for His name. So we read that from Acts 10. And to this agree the words of the prophets that is written. Now, James quotes what we just read from Amos and applies it to the church.

After this, I will return and will build again the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down, and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up that the residue of men seek after the eternal and all the nations upon whom my name is called with the eternal who dwells with all these things. My name is called, says the eternal, whom my name is called, who does all these things. Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world. So wherefore my sense is that we trouble not them which are turned to God among the Gentiles, delayed, they don't have to be circumcised, but they have to be taught certain things. Now we go to Leviticus 23, where the Holy Days are enumerated, and we see the two loaves, and we should see here then more clearly, with regard to the two loaves, that as Paul talks about in Ephesians 2, that He hath made of the twain that is Jew and Gentile one new man. Leviticus 23 verse 17, You shall bring out of your habitations two wave-lows of two-tense deals. They shall be of fine flower, they shall be taken with leaven, they are the first fruits unto the eternal. What are we? God is calling out the first fruits. Jew and Gentile. Then you shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish of the first year. One young bullet, two rams, they shall be for a burnt offering under the eternal, and their meat offering, their drink offering, even an offering made by a fire of sweet saber unto the eternal. Then you shall sacrifice one kid of the goats for a sin offering, two lambs for the first year for the sacrifice of peace offerings. Of course, we have read about the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Now you hold your place there. We look at Ephesians chapter 2. Ephesians chapter 2. And we see here that these two, Jew and Gentile, are joined together to make one new man. Or we could use Mr. Lucas' terminology that Paul uses of a new lump, a new lump, the church of God.

Verse 11, Wherefore, remember that you being in times past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called uncircumcision by that which is called the circumcision, or the Jews in the flesh, made by hands, that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world, but now in Christ Jesus, you who sometimes were afar off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who has made both one, Jew and Gentile, and have broken down the middle wall of partition between us, having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinance, far to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace, and that he might reconcile both Jew and Gentile unto God in one body, by the stake having slain the enmity thereby, and came and preached peace to you, the Gentiles, which were afar off, and to them that were nigh the Jews, for through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Therefore you are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and the household of God. Then in chapter 3, Paul explains, he says, this great mystery, hidden through the ages, is now made manifest to you that all peoples, is he the God of the Jews only? No, but of the Gentiles also. So we go back to Leviticus now, continuing.

Verse 19, the sacrifice is made. See, Jesus Christ died for Jew and Gentile. The twain have now been made one. And the high priest shall wave them the two loaves with the bread of the first fruits for a wave offering before the Eternal. With the two lambs they shall be holy to the Eternal for the priest. And you shall proclaim on the selfsame day that it may be an holy convocation. That's why we're here today, unto you. You shall do no servile work therein. It shall be a statue forever in all your dwellings throughout your generations. And when you shall reap the harvest of your land and so on, you'll leave some there.

So through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the two loaves are joined together in one body. As Paul writes in Galatians 3, there's neither bond of free, male or female. There's neither Jew or Gentile, but we're all one in Christ.

The sacrifice of Christ made it possible for Jews and Gentiles to be reconciled to God the Father, receive God's Spirit, and be among the first fruits. Through repentance and faith in the sacrifice of Christ, they have become de-leavened. And after reconciliation with the Father, we must become active participants in the salvation process. So we can ask ourselves, is my mind fully set on becoming a new creation? In Romans 5, we find a summary of the process that we need to go through.

The process to have our house ready to receive the Holy Spirit. Before we read that, I want to go to Luke 19. I mentioned this yesterday in the announcements about the attitude of Zacchaeus. When he heard that Jesus was going to pass that way, we can surely apply this to our house, our temple, our dwelling place for the Holy Spirit, in Luke 19. Jesus entered and passed through Jericho, and behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. He sought to see Jesus, who he was, and could not for the crowd pressing in, because he was short of little stature. He ran before and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was to pass that way. When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and saw him and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, make haste, and come down, for today I must abide at your house. And so today, God and Christ both want to abide at our house. And he made haste and came down and received him joyfully, and when they saw, yet they murmured, saying that he is gone to be a guest with a man that is a sinner. Zacchaeus stood and said unto the Lord, Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor, and if I have taken anything from any man, by false accusation I restore him fourfold. And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation, come to your house, for as much as he also is the son of Abraham, for the son of man has come to seek and save that which was lost. And so God wants us, our house, ready for us to be active participants in this process of him creating holy, righteous character within us. So you look at Romans chapter 5. Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glorify, but we glory in tribulation. So here is the process that we go through in God creating his holy, righteous character within us. We are active participants. And not only so, we glory in tribulation also. So tribulation, trial, proof, testing, knowing that tribulation works, patience. And patience, experience, proof, testing, trial. It is in that period of time that we show God the medal that we're made of. Are we of gold, silver, precious stones, or are we wood, hay, and stubble? And patience works proof-testing and proof-testing hope. And see, ever present in our minds is the hope of the kingdom of God. And hope makes us not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, how? By the Holy Spirit, which is given unto us. And through being faithful through the process, the very love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, and the fruits of the Spirit are manifest. The spiritual temple, the church of God, the Israel of God, the first fruits of his salvation, made immortal, will reign with him as kings and priests in the wonderful work of building a new civilization. This civilization is going to be God. The new civilization, the wonderful world tomorrow, the kingdom of God, will emphasize the things that are spiritual, the things that are eternal. So, set your affection on things above where Christ sits on the right hand of God, where he ever lives to make intercession for us. So let us never forget what this day means, that the very essence of God came to dwell not just with man, but in man.