From Cherith to Zarepath!

1Ki 17:2-11   And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying,  (3)  Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.  (4)  And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.  (5)  So he went and did according unto the word of the LORD: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.  (6)  And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.  (7)  And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.  (8)  And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying,  (9)  Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.  (10)  So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.  (11)  And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand.

There is so much to talk about that I will have to try limiting myself to one subject! Yeah right! So hold on to your wallets, purses and handbags…the collector has come to town!

I have been involved in the Elijah Chronicles for a long time now. So rather than an outline there may be a good cook-up, metemgee, or pepperpot with something good for you somewhere in there!! So let's plunge in!

Elijah went to the brook Cherith at Yahweh's command! 

There he was fed with bread and flesh by ravens at Yahweh's command until the brook dried up at which time he was given new marching orders.

Press the pause button here! Wait! Why did he even have to move?

1. Had Yahweh's resource of bread and flesh been exhausted? NO! Php 4:19  But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
2. Could not Yahweh have commanded that the brook remain filled? YES!
3. So this divine providence by Yahweh could have continued therefore? YES! AS LONG AS HE WANTED IT TO!

But Yahweh had other plans...plans that included a "random" widow and her son living in Zarepath a little town in Sidon a country to the north of Israel. Its ruler is king Ethbaal who is, would you believe it, the father of Jezebel queen of Israel and wife of King Ahab!

Note: Elijah had no choice in who the widow should be. God in His sovereignty made the decision...Elijah simply obeyed Yahweh! Elijah's diet moved from heavenly bread and flesh to flour and oil. Seems like a step down isn't it? But God ordered it to preserve a widow and her son. 
There are times when we have to step out of our comfort zone in order to minister effectively as God wishes.

  1Ki 16:30-33 And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him.  (31)  And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him.  (32)  And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria.  (33)  And Ahab made a grove; and Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.

The very name Ethbaal means 'baal is with him' and he is reputedly the priest king whose daughter seems to have been an ardent and zealous acolyte of her father promoting baal worship in Israel. The irony is that Yahweh sent Elijah right into the heart of the evil queen’s homeland as though thumbing His nose at one and all of the lame gods of Sidon!

I believe that Elijah could have spent the entire three and a half years in solitary Cherith, supplied by heaven in a spectacular way.

But Yahweh wanted him to move on up! Our lives are not isolated but closely connected with the world around us.  We are in this world but not of this world and as long as we are in this world we need to let our light shine for there is no other light that leads to eternal life and salvation. I fear that many of us will shed buckets of remorseful and regretful tears because of the time we wasted on trivialities which could have been profitably spent on knowing God and making Him known. Rather we became experts at all kinds of trivial stuff and great exponents, disseminating useless knowledge. 

From Cherith to Zarepath

1. At Cherith Elijah was passively dependent God's providence. At Zarepath Elijah was actively used in God's providence
2. At Cherith he waited alone.  At Zarepath he was connected with other lives
3. At Cherith he received without involvement.  At Zarepath he had to speak the Word of faith.
4. At Cherith he was carefree.  At Zarepath he had responsibility.
5. At Cerith he was separated to God.  At Zarepath he was being refined in faith.
6. Cherith means cut, cutting. Zarepath means refine, refinery.

Elijah is commanded to move from a place of separation to a place of refining. 

How many times are we not contented to sit down passively waiting for Yahweh to provide as He promised? We just love the closeness of God and His miraculous provision for us. We are contented to remain right there, alone, having nothing to do with the world. You know…we go to churched get a little bit of religion and religious instruction then go back to our selfish lonely life of non involvement until one day the brook dries up!  How many times have we not ignored His instructions to take action? How many times have we had doubt arise in our hearts because the brook dried up? How many times have we not ignored God's instructions to our own disappointments and the resulting tragedy of others? Have you given thought to what would have happened to the widow and her son if Elijah had decided he was safer remaining by the brook? The brook would have dried up. He would have suffered and a widow and her son in the next country would have died. Your action or failure to act can precipitate an international incident!  It is NEVER a good thing to remain sitting where you are when God gives a command to move on. You will find yourself sitting there Godless and alone for He has moved on. AND I am NOT talking about a physical move but a spiritual advance in your life. 

Elijah is being fine tuned for the pending confrontation between Yahweh and the accumulated forces of evil.

 The Lord specifically told Elijah to go to Zidon. Elijah was also told that a widow woman has been commanded to sustain him. Yes that is right! A widow woman. Let us hear the description of this woman from her own mouth.

 , "And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die."

  There it is:

1. All she had was a handful of meal in a barrel and a little oil in a cruse.
2. It was just enough to make a meager meal for herself and her son.
3. They would eat it and then die for that was the last of it

So here we have two people who were alone in the world. The husband (and father) was dead. The son could not sustain himself and mother for he was too young. They were down to their last meager meal. The future stared at them with the grim and implacable face of death. It was the end of the road and there was no hope. This also in a time when widows were not well esteemed!

 So, here is the scenario.

1. A widow woman and her son, from a foreign country.
2. A woman about to have her last meal with her son. 
3. A woman who had already resigned herself to no future on earth. 
4. A woman who would not even allow herself to think of good ahead. 
5. A woman who had no hope without God. 
6. A woman who assumed her insignificance to such an extent she could not recognize that a special moment in her life was at hand.  
7. A woman who had no idea that God had laid a special commission on her life! God was about to perform a miracle and she did not even know that God had commissioned her to be the principal recipient!
8. She is also a hospitable woman shown by her intent to bring water at Elijah's request.
9. She had a choice whether to obey or disregard the Word of the Lord from the prophet 

She obviously had no help from anyone around her and it would seem that she did not expect any. Apparently no one even seemed to care that this woman was about to take her last meal. There seemed a singular lack of sympathy for her plight.

No one cared?  Not quite! Way back by Cherith's brook God had ordained a stupendous breakthrough in her life. Way back before the drought she was in the plan of God. Yes God cared, and He was about to show it in a way she had not in her wildest dream conceived!

Let us see the peculiarity of the situation here. God had said to Elijah, “I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.”  She was commanded in the same way that the ravens had been, and they had done as commanded.

Now let’s see… It would seem to me that the woman would have had a sense of expectancy when Elijah appeared. It would seem that she should have been happy to oblige Elijah in his request. It would seem that she could even have said, “I was expecting you. God spoke to me about you. I know what I have to do! Welcome!"

But no! While probably recognizing Elijah as an Israelite she seemed not to have the faintest idea who Elijah really was and apparently did not even care.

Her mind was too preoccupied. 

1. Preoccupied with destitution and its results. 
2. Preoccupied with coming doom. 
3. Preoccupied with gloom and despair. 
4. Preoccupied with the fact that she had failed to provide for her son.

Her mind was just too full of her present distress and no future.

It just did not matter anymore. She had made up her mind about the inevitable and was prepared to face it. In fact she was in the identical position that we sometimes find ourselves. At the end of the rope. Facing an uncaring world. A world that is so caught up in its mad rush to secular doom and spiritual destruction that you become just another minor (easily kicked aside) pebble, in its way. You become an unknown statistic, an insignificant blot on the landscape that will soon fade into the nothingness of oblivion.

She was certainly not a candidate for bountiful giving in our books. Definitely not one we would chose to support a project or a cause that needed giving. Why, she was a project and a cause herself.

Our tendency would have been to make up a basket for this poor widow woman who was down to her last meal and about to die. She was at the end of her rope. She was not aware of any but a grim and terminal future. Impending doom hung over her head and the head of her son like the legendary sword of Damocles. She herself needed a miracle.

 Say Elijah, couldn’t you have been wrong? Was this the woman that God sent you to? Are you sure? Could it not have been the rich house down the road with those spacious well kept lawns? You know, that large four-bedroom, two-garage house with the indoor swimming pool and all those other fine features. Now that would be our choice for a donation, wouldn't it?

It is a bit of a shame to go and ask that poor widow to sustain you isn't it Elijah? You are a big strong man…the wilderness variety. You can fend for yourself. You are capable. Why are you preying on this poor widow?

 Go find a job you big lug, you useless piece of garbage! Hey, only recently your God was supporting you through air dashed bread, from Celestial Bakeries, and meat from Stellar “Kosher” Plaza. Surely He could have continued to sustain you rather than having you going to make demands of this poor woman who had no means of support? You serve Him don’t you? Then let Him perform a miracle on your behalf. Come on Elijah have a heart. Give the poor woman something instead of taking from her. 

 Isn’t that just how it is sometimes? We are on the threshold of despair and cannot begin to understand how we got there in the first place. We are at the point where it seems as if God has totally deserted us and care not if we die tomorrow, or even now. We are so entangled in our shroud of despair that we cannot even hear God’s voice of reassurance and promise of faith. The person who God sends to help us seems to be the one who is trying to take our last piece of bread away from us.

 We have forgotten that when everything seems down and there is no place to turn that God is still in control. 

Until the Word comes from the Lord and we obey.

He still has a Word for us. A Word that is not just an empty promise but:

1. A Word that will bring life and sustenance. 
2. A Word that will renew our strength and restore our hope in the future. 
3. A Word that will create faith in our hearts which will then respond in obedience to His command.

 And we have such a Word. The Word that was in the beginning. The Word that was God, that was made flesh. He said, "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the Words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." .

It is the Word that brings faith; "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." .
  1Ki 17:13-16 And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.  (14)  For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.  (15)  And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.  (16)  And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.

  
A few things that can be learned from Elijah and the Widow

1. You can be commanded by God and yet not be aware
2. Obeying the Word of God from the man of God releases the Miracle of God
3. You can be provided for in a variety of ways as God chooses.
4. Do not lock God into your preconceived pattern
5. God deals with you in isolation or in company
6. There are times when you do not need to do anything for God's supply and at other times there is no supply if you do not take action
7. Learn to listen to and obey the Word of Yahweh.
8. Do not consider your own pride when God gives you a mission.
9. There are times when we have to step out of our comfort zone in order to minister effectively as God wishes.
10. God can lead you to the most unlikely and unexpected channel of supply!

Characteristics of the Father

Luk 15:11-32  And he said, A certain man had two sons:  (12)  And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.  (13)  And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.  (14)  And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.  (15)  And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.  (16)  And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.  (17)  And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!  (18)  I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,  (19)  And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.  (20)  And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.  (21)  And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.  (22)  But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:  (23)  And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:  (24)  For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.  (25)  Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.  (26)  And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.  (27)  And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.  (28)  And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.  (29)  And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:  (30)  But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.  (31)  And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.  (32)  It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

 

Jesus was criticized by the Pharisees and accused of receiving sinners and eating with them. This was a no no in their books of revised religious practices.           

In His untiring effort to present His Father's attributes and attitude towards repentant sinners Jesus gave us the story of the prodigal son!

We can safely assume that in speaking to a Jewish crowd Jesus was using a typical Jewish family as the focal point of his story. As we look at this narration several thoughts become evident regarding the characteristics of the father.

1.      He was not domineering nor a tyrant- no force or manipulation is involved.

He respected his son's wishes and allowed him to make his own choice and decision. 

It is obvious that the sons were grown men and not little children.

Similarly God the Father does not force you to serve Him. In His omniscience He knows what is best for you and He has left you with a huge amount of instructions, commands and advice in the Word. But because of the very essence of His Person God will not force you to do His will. That choice you need to make yourself but He urges you to choose life. His offer is to whosoever will…

2.      He constantly watched and waited for the prodigal's return

The father never gave up hope that his son will return. While his son was a great way off the father saw him returning, implying that he had been on the look out for him.

God longs for us to return to Him. It is why He sent His Son.

2Pe 3:3-9 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, (4)  And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.  (5)  For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:  (6) Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:  (7) But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.  (8)  But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.  (9)  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

3.      He was full of compassion and eager to forgive

The father welcomed his son and made an effort to bring about peace between him and his jealous angry elder brother.

God is likewise of great mercy and full of compassion.

He said Mat 11:28-30 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  (29)  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  (30)  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Isa 55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

  

4.      He was not reproachful  or accusing.

John 6:37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

Luke 23:34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

Rom 5:6-10 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.  (7)  For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.  (8)  But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  (9)  Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.  (10)  For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

   

It seems as though the younger son knew his father more than the elder. He had confidence in:

1. His generosity

2. His mercy

3. His forgiveness

Because he knows what his father was like he found it easy to approach him.

The elder son attitude made the the father look bad viz. mean, uncaring, unconcerned, indifferent, partial, biased.

But what did the Father say?

All was yours! All you had to do was ask! The goods had been divided

HAVE YOU BEEN WITH JESUS?

In chapter 3 is the first recorded miracle in the Book of Acts
Act 3:1-10 Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.  (2)  And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; (3) Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.  (4)  And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.  (5)  And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.  (6)  Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.  (7)  And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.  (8)  And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.  (9)  And all the people saw him walking and praising God:  (10) And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him.
 What happened after that is interesting...and challenging to us as the church...the Body of Christ today!
Act 3:1 Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.
 Peter and John went up together...where? To the temple at the hour of prayer the 9th hour (3 o'clock afternoon)
Thought: Could this be the prayer time Jesus referenced in His parable told in ?
Act 3:2   And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; 
 The man was lame (from his mother's womb) for more than 40 years:
 Act 4:22   For the man was above forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing was shewed.
Peter and John looked like ordinary men...in fact in it is noted in Act 4:13   ...when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.
They were perceived as being unlearned and ignorant which caused their critics to marvel. Unlearned and ignorant men just do not do extraordinary things. They simply wake up every day, eat their meals, do their chores, go to work, engage in their daily routine and return home to their ordinary unexciting lives.
In fact the only exciting things that happen to them are the occasional show or trip or game which they honestly and earnestly believe are exciting things!
When the lame man looked on them all he saw were two ordinary men mere Galileans! He asked for what he expected ordinary men to give...alms. Very ordinary request of ordinary people who are expected to carry ordinary stuff like silver and gold! So is that all your life is about? Daily routine with ordinary expectations? The lame world look on us expecting nothing more than the ordinary...but...it is only an outward look. The disciple of Christ has something more! You are not mere men! In fact Paul draws this point out when he addressed the Corinthian church telling them they walk as men!

1 Cor 3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
How often have we not become slackers and allowed the carnal to rule us resulting in an ordinary life and walk rather than being more than conquerors through Christ in us?
As the testimony of the rulers, elders and scribes reveals... they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus. 

BEEN WITH JESUS!!!! This is what makes the ordinary become extraordinary. 
BEEN WITH JESUS!!!!  This is what turns water into wine! 
BEEN WITH JESUS!!!! This is what makes 5 loaves and 2 fishes feed 5000!
BEEN WITH JESUS!!!! This is what makes tax cheats and robbers honest and generous men!
BEEN WITH JESUS!!!! It makes sinful women pure before God!
BEEN WITH JESUS!!!! It makes cowards become death defying and unafraid.

Being with Jesus does something inside of you! We may be just earthen vessels but we have a treasure in this earthen vessel
 2 Cor 4:5-7For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.  (6)  For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.  (7)  But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. 
  But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

We see here ordinary seeming men going about what is looked on as an ordinary daily routing going up to the temple to pray at the ordinary hour of prayer. Nothing strange about that!
We see an ordinary world going about its ordinary business with its ordinary lameness! An accepted daily fact.
The world expects ordinary things from ordinary people and usually gets what they expect.
However there are some people ordinary seeming on the outside who pack an extraordinary punch on the inside!
Sort of like the Hulk...an ordinary weak and frail human about his business as Bruce Banner...until aroused then something inside of him stirs and he metamorphoses into something unstoppable.
Sort of like Thor...an ordinary crippled looking doctor with a walking stick...when WHAM! a flash of light and the weakling is gone...replaced by a veritable god!
The church may be seen as ordinary today! You may have been with Billy Graham but you are still ordinary! You may have been with T D Jakes but you are still ordinary! You may have been with Joel Osteen but you are very ordinary! You may have associated with Rick Warren, Oral Roberts, Morris Cerullo, Benny Hinn, John McArthur and the list goes on ad nauseum!. You remain ordinary! But the person or church that has been with Jesus is more than ordinary.
Being with Jesus imparts something that nothing else can!

1. BEING WITH JESUS MEANS YOUR LIFE IS NOT AS ORDINARY AS YOU OR OTHERS SEEM TO THINK IT IS! 

You are in the unique position to reach the world in an extraordinary way because of who you are, because of what or more correctly WHO you have within you. What you have is not what the world expects but what you have is infinitely superior to anything the world has to offer to you. 1 Cor 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
Look on us...we do not have what you're expecting but we have something else that more than make up for what you expected. All the world can offer is a temporal fix. What you are able to give through Christ is permanent! Col 1:27-29 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:  (28) Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:  (29) Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.:

2.      BEING WITH JESUS GIVES BOLDNESS TO RESPOND WHEN QUESTIONED ABOUT THE HOPE WITHIN YOU. 
Act 4:8-10  Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,  (9)  If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole;  (10)  Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. 
This is the same Peter who later wrote: 1 Pet 3:15-16 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:  (16) Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.
They went back to their own and prayed for more boldness Act 4:29-31   And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,  (30)  By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.  (31)  And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.
He 13:5-6 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.  (6)  So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

3.      BEING WITH JESUS MEANS YOU HAVE SOMETHING DIFFERENT FROM THE WORLD 
 2 Cor 4:5-7 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.  (6)  For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.  (7)  But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.    But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

4.      BEING WITH JESUS MEANS YOU CHOSE TO OBEY GOD RATHER THAN MEN WHEN FACED WITH THE CHOICE! 
Act 4:18-20  And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.  (19)  But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.  (20)  For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.
May God speak to us today so that we may understand Who we have with us and in us, that we may understand that He will NEVER leave us nor forsake us so that we may boldly say what He wants us to say…that we may boldly do what He wants us to do…that we may boldly go where He leads us
Remember He said: John 14:16-20 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;  (17)  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.  (18)  I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.  (19)  Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.  (20)  At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

They continued steadfastly...

Act 2:14-47  But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:  15  For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.  16  But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;  17  And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:  18  And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:  19  And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:  20  The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:  21  And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.  22  Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:  23  Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:  24  Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.  25  For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:  26  Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:  27  Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.  28  Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.  29  Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.  30  Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;  31  He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.  32  This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.  33  Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.  34  For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,  35  Until I make thy foes thy footstool.  36  Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.  37  Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?  38  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.  39  For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.  40  And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.  41  Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.  42  And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.  43  And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.  44  And all that believed were together, and had all things common;  45  And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.  46  And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,  47  Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

  

The record of Peter’s sermon is unique in a few ways:

1. It was the first preached after the Holy Ghost came
2. It was the first Pentecostal Sermon
3. It was the first sermon of the early church
4. It was preached to an international crowd

A.        PETER'S SERMON WAS PROPHETIC AND DOCTRINAL:

1. It validates the fulfillment of prophecy.
2. It refers to Eschatology ( the study of last things).
3. It embraces Pneumatology (the study of Holy Ghost).
4. It accepts the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God.
5. It teaches crucifixion and resurrection from the dead.
6. It teaches the exaltation of Christ and the authority of Jesus' Name.
7. It teaches the Lordship and Messiahship of Christ.
8. It teaches repentance and remission of sins.
9. It teaches baptism.
10. It teaches that salvation is available to all.

B.        PETER'S SERMON WAS CHRIST CENTERED

1. He presented Prophecy and Scripture as fulfilled by Christ.  "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil." Mat 5:17;  "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me." John 5:39; "I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption." Psa 16:8-10;  "The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool." Psa 110:1
2. He presented himself and the others as witnesses unto The Messiah. This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Act 2:32

C.        PETER'S SERMON WAS CONVICTING AND CONVINCING

1. He preached with the anointing and power of the Holy Ghost
2. He preached from the Word of God

It is to be noted that those who gladly received the word and were baptized amounted to about 3,000 souls. These continued steadfastly in:

1. The apostles doctrine (teaching, tutoring and instructions)
2. Fellowship
3. Breaking of bread
4. Prayers
5. Practicing hospitality
6. Accord
7. Praise and Worship

 What can we learn from this and practice today as the church...the body of Christ?