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Bibleline Bibleline, here God’s word on Bibleline, everywhere, every time. Here God’s truth on Bibleline. Welcome to Bibleline with Dr. Ralph Yankee Arnold, pastor of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida. Clearly declaring the Gospel of Jesus Christ through the radio and the Internet. Your regular prayers and monthly support make it possible for Bibleline to continue on the air. You can reach us toll free at 1-800-576-3771. Online donations may be made through the Bibleline website at calvaryoftampa.org. We pray that you’ll enjoy our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ and that today’s concluding message of this teaching will be a blessing to you and your family.

They were told what to do, His disciples. They went, they did, and the Lord confirmed what they said and what they did with signs. It happened. By the time you’re reading Mark, it’s a done deal. They did what he said do, and the signs followed, like he said. Now, there’s no promise in these verses that we are going to be able to continue doing those, all the rest of our lives. It’s not that, this is past tense. They did, they went, they preached, it happened.

It’s a historical event, just like the book of Acts and the baptism of the Holy Ghost. It’s a historical event, but you do not find anywhere in the scriptures a command to be baptized by the Holy Spirit because it is an event that takes place the day and the moment you trusted Christ as your Savior, you’re baptized by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ. Christ is the baptizer. He baptizes you with the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ.

And so this was the secret that nobody knew in the Old Testament. It was a mystery that was hidden in time past, but now revealed for the first time. Now take your Bible and turn over there to the book of Hebrews, Hebrews and chapter 1. Hebrews make it chapter 2. First mistake I’ve made this morning. Hebrews in chapter two and look in verse one. He says, therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we shall let them slip.

For if the word, and we’re talking about the word, now the word spoken by angels was steadfast and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward, how How shall we escape? If we neglect so great salvation, get this now, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and get these words and was confirmed unto us by them that heard Him. Now get the sequence, very important, where He makes the statement. He says, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, was confirmed unto us by them that heard Him.

And verse 4, and God also bearing them witness both with signs and wonders and with divers, miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to His own will. So they heard Christ speak, and they had the word confirmed unto them by them that heard him and it was confirmed by them doing the signs and the miracles. And this is where this took place. Now, that’s why today the transition has been complete. We have the complete word of God. We don’t need sign gifts.

Those were given to the baby church, like a little child in the nursery likes to play with baby rattlers. Not rattlers, I mean a rattle. not rattlesnakes. Please don’t misunderstand me. And so they had sign gifts. And so babies like toys. And he says, when I was a child, I spoke as a child. I thought as a child. I put away childless things when I grew up. In other words, I don’t need the church as a babe being born.

Don’t need those toys anymore. Why? Because we are growing up as a body of believers in the churches maturing in the Lord, and we have the complete Word of God. So we don’t need those toys anymore. And there’s people today that shall hang on to their little toys. And they don’t even exist today. He said, well, I know people that have done this and this and this and this and that you know, you had people who have an experience.

But it’s not the biblical top. I know every verse in this book on tongue. Every verse. I can quote above it and below it. I do not have a desire to get the baptism of the Holy Ghost and have a fire shoot down my body and fire from my fingers and the shouting, jumping, hooting, hollering, ranting, raving, rolling. No, that’s not the Holy Spirit. the spirit of a sound mind. And he never gave any of those gifts to the women.

He says, the women keep silent in the church. That means it was never given to the women. But anyway, as you go through it and you learn where things belong, it will help you to understand the rest of Scripture and what are my responsibilities? So you got to go back to where does it all begin? And so if you look there and 1 Corinthians chapter 12, 1 Corinthians and chapter 12, look there 1 Corinthians and chapter 12, 1 Corinthians chapter 12, and you’ll notice there in verse 12 and verse 13, these two verses I want you to see.

He says, for as the body is one and hath many members, all the members of that one body, then many are one body. So also with Christ. For by one spirit, are we all baptized into one body? So here in Corinth were the most rebellious Christians you’ve ever read about. I mean, they were the ungodliest Christians. They a carnal-minded Christian and yet Paul says, we have all been baptized by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ. All these Christians that were this rebellious, and yes, they were still baptized and put into the body of Christ.

And not because of any good thing that they’ve done. This is what happens when you trust Christ as your Savior. Christ puts you into the body of Christ. So he says, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, bond are free and have then all made the drink into one spirit. So then the question come down is, well, when did this body begin? It says, we’ve all been baptized to the body. So then you find out, well, how do you know where it begins?

Where did they have the first baptism of the Holy Spirit? Because that’s the only way you get into the body. So when you go back to the book of Acts, go back to Acts, the book of Acts in chapter one, Acts chapter one. And you’ll notice when he makes the statement in verse four, remember John chapter 14, he had made the statement, he says, I am going to send to you the Holy Spirit. I will ask the Father, I will pray the Father, and he shall send you the Holy Spirit that he may indwell you forever.

And then verse 26, and this speak, he of the Holy Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive. So those who believe on the Lord, the Lord and He shall teach you all things and bring all things to you. Remember what’s whoever I’ve said unto you. So the Holy Spirit came as a result of a prayer Christ made, not as a result of a prayer that the people made on the day of Pentecost. The Holy Spirit did not come on that day because they all got together and all prayed and prayed down the whole.

No, it did not. He came right on schedule, 50 days from the resurrection. It was right on the money, honey. It’s what the book says. And so the Holy Spirit came as a result of a promise that Christ made to His disciples. Remember what John the Baptist said? He says, I baptize you with water. But there come one after me. He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost. And it hadn’t happened in His lifetime. lifetime, it didn’t happen in Christ’s lifetime.

So the promise was still out there to be fulfilled. So look what he says in verse 4, and being assembled together with them commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem but wait for the promise of the Father which said that ye have heard of me. What were they waiting for? The fulfillment of the promise. They didn’t bring the promise. promise came because Christ says the Holy Spirit is coming. He had already asked the Father. And so then he says in verse 5, for John truly baptize with water, but he shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days in, not many days from now you’re going to be baptized.

And this was about 40 days yet to go. Talked about the 40 days in verse three. But anyway, you know that it was going to happen and then in verse eight verse eight. But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you the word power is be the right the authority Because the Holy Spirit is going to come and indwell you all believers and when the Holy Spirit indwells you you are Indupped by the Spirit placed into the body of Christ and God gave the great commission go into all the world and preach the gospel, but in the book of Luke chapter 24 he says, but wait in Jerusalem until you be in dude with power from on high.

So even though they were commanded to go before Christ died, they were not to go until the day of Pentecost of the Spirit came. So the command, the great commission was given to the church. And this is where some people don’t believe the great commission was given to the church because they say, well, he gave that to his disciples in the church, wasn’t starting to the apostle Paul. Christ did give the command in Matthew 28 and also in the book of Luke, but they weren’t supposed to go until they were in dude with the power.

So the command wasn’t to give the go until then until that very day. So anyway, in the book of Acts chapter Luke, Luke, he said in verse 32, Acts chapter 2 verse 32, then Jesus, this Jesus half God raised up from where we are all witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted and get this, having received of the Father the promise of what? The Holy Spirit. he had shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.

So between this verse and in chapter one, in verse four, something had to have happened. Because he says, he’s coming, the Holy Spirit. You’re gonna be baptized by the Holy Spirit. And in this verse says, it’s already happened. So somewhere between these two verses, I bet you can’t find out where it is, it happened. So in chapter two, in verse one, And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, Pentecost is 50 days on schedule. Even the type is mentioned in the book of Leviticus in chapter 23, the Wave offering.

This is prophesied and it happened right on schedule. And the Holy Spirit did not come because they were all gathered together in prayer and one accord. Did not. came because the Father fulfilled the promise. And the Holy Spirit came. And then He says, and they all heard them speak in their own language. There’s nothing about unknown tongues in these scriptures. Unknown language. There was always a language of the people who were there on the day of Pentecost, Jews who came together for Passover on this special occasion, and they heard them speak in their own words.

Look here in verse six. And now when this was noise to brah, the multitude came together and were confounded because every man heard them speak in his what? His own language. His own language. And he says up here in verse five, and there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout women, that I read something wrong, devout men out of every nation under heaven, and they were able to hear the gospel presentation on one day, and they were able to go back to all these nations at one time.

It’s awesome. And get this in verse 8. And how here we every man in our own tongue wherein we were born. So did they understand what they heard? Yes, they not only heard it, they could understand. It was an unknown. If the language is unknown, it has no purpose. And then he says, as you get out through here in verse 11, any names, all the different places and creates in Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues. The wonderful works of God means they heard it and they understood what they were saying.

So the baptism took place. Now take your Bible and turn over there to Acts 10. Acts 10. The Bible says that there was a man by the name of Cornelius. And he was a devout religious man, just not saved. And so anyway Peter goes to preach to him, the Gospel. So when he preaches the Gospel to him and then a whole bunch of them trusts the Lord and see there in verse 34, Peter opened his mouth. Instead of a truth, I perceive that God is no respecter persons, but in every nation he that feared him and work with righteousness is accepted with him.

The words which God sent unto the children of Israel preaching peace by Jesus Christ. In verse 30, that word that you know, verse 40, him God raised up the third day. Look in verse 43, to him give all the prophets witness that through his name, Old Testament prophets preached that through his name, whosoever, believe it in him, shall receive remission of sin. So the scripture here tells us that the Old Testament prophets told people to put their trust in Jesus Christ.

Or did I misread that? I think that’s what it says. And so they believed it and then they were entwelt by the Holy Spirit and they spoke in languages that people could understand. And on this occasion they spoke in the language where there’s some Jews that had gone with them who didn’t believe that the Gentiles could be saved and no one, behold, they heard them speak in their language. Kind of shut their mouth a little bit. Now look there in Acts chapter 11.

And look in verse 12, as this is being rehearsed back there in Jerusalem at the church. As he rehearsed, he says, and the spirit made me go with them, doubting nothing more over these six brethren Jews accompanied me and we entered into the man’s house. He showed us how he had seen an angel in the house, which stood and said to him, send men to Job and call for Simon, who’s her name is Peter, who shall tell the words whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.

And as I began to speak, the holy ghost fell on them as on us at the end of the underlying, this word beginning. when did it begin? When was the first time it ever took place? So that’s why I believe that the church started on the day of Pentecost because that’s when the baptism took place in the Jews into the body and in chapter 10 placing Gentiles into the body and so in this body of believers, Jews and Gentiles, all All people for the last 2000 years are part of the body of Christ.

And so this is something you need to know, but now when does this body end? When does the dispensation of grace end? Anybody in here ever heard of the rapture? It’s not rapture, it’s rapture. It means every believer in Christ, obedient or disobedient, carnal or spiritual, when the Lord comes in the air will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. Now, I don’t have time to cover all these notes that I’ve got down here for you.

I wish I did, but well, let me take a stab at it. It’s still got a few minutes. Take your Bible and turn to the book of 1st thessalonians, 1st thessalonians in chapter Verse 4, 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. This is the verses that we usually read for the rapture and showing you that the rapture is different from the revelation. See up here, the rapture revelation. Rapture is when He comes for His saints, revelation is when He comes with His saints.

Here He comes in the air to get us and take us out. Here He comes with us all the way to the earth and we rule with the Lord upon the earth for a thousand years. So as you go back here, there’s a seven-year tribulation period, the worst period of time the world has ever known. Let me ask you a question. As you look upon the world saying today, do you believe that things are getting better or are worse.

You know, and there’s people that are right now worried because we’ve lost so much of our food supply in America. They’re putting it in the gas tanks, a lot of it. And then we’re shipping it out and then we’re getting a lot of food from other countries. You realize it wouldn’t take much for this whole world to be in a not only an economic disaster which we’re there. But food, you realize what people will do when they get hungry, and it won’t take much.

And the Bible says in the tribulation period, he says, there’s going to be mass famines upon the earth. It ought to make you just, you know, a little bit knowledgeable about what’s coming up on the scene. We’ve got to be close. We’ve got to be close. Maybe today. But in verse 13 down to verse 18 talks about the rapture where he says, I will not have you to be ignorant, brother, concerning them which are asleep, that you sorrow not even as others who have no hope.

He said, but we do have hope. We know the truth. And he says in verse 14, if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also at sleep in Jesus, will God bring with them? Then he talks about the Lord is going to come in the air and we’re going to be changed in a moment. The twinkling of an eye caught up to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord verse 18.

Therefore he says, comfort one another with these wonderful words. That’s why we usually read these scriptures at a funeral because we want people to know, hey, this isn’t the end of it. This isn’t the end. For us, this is the beginning. And those who know the Lord should not fear death. It’sbians. It’s just a doorway. So, well, I’ve just never done it before. I know what you mean. But in chapter 5, there’s interesting verses here. And it’s sometimes difficult to explain all of these.

But in verse 1, he says, but of the times in the season, brother, you have no need that I write unto you, for yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord, so cometh is a thief in the night. For when they shall say peace and safety, then sudden destruction comeeth fond them, as travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape. But ye brethren are not in that darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief.

You are all the children of light and the children of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep as do others and let us watch and be sober.” Isn’t that clear as a bell? Well as you read it, try to understand this. This is a day and this is a day and this is a night. usually two days are separated by a night. You didn’t know that. See, don’t you look how much you learned just by coming to church?

There’s today and then there’s tomorrow, but there’s probably a night separating the two. So the Bible talks about us and we, they and them. And then he says, this day will not come this day right here. this day right here, will not come until their first come a catching away and then shall the man of sin be revealed. And when they say peace and safety, first part, then sudden destruction comeeth upon them, not us. You see, when the rapture takes place, we are taken out of here.

We’re delivered. We do not go into the seven years. Why did this cause this seven year period of time actually belongs to the the dispensation of law. Because you see that’s the main judgment of God poured on his wrath because they rejected the Messiah as their Savior. This is the 70th week of Daniel. Up until the cross see it was 483 years, 69 weeks of seven years each. That’s why you get to 483 years but there was probably 490 years so there’s a seven year period, some place it got lost and it was shoved out here.

Now when the raptor takes place and all this is gone, this slides up to here and lo and behold it just flows right on through like it never needs to be. So this is where we’re headed and Christ coming in most places says as a thief in the night. This is here. Not here. So when you study scriptures, it helps make it a little bit clear. Now, I haven’t got it all worked out, but I’m still working on a few other little pieces of puzzle that I’m not sure.

But I know I’ll get it down one of these days, and if I don’t get it right, I’m just going to ask a wishmill back there to straighten me out on all this stuff. But anyway, I hope that you understand it just a little bit better. You and I, we are children of the day, the light. Not of the night, we and us is different from they and them. And this night separates these two days. And as you read that down to their it’ll enlighten it just a little bit.

So glad to have you here. I realize you may never come again. But I love you. I love America. I love the Lord. I love His Word. But whether we ever change anything in this nation, I want you to know how to go to heaven. So let me tell you, real quickly, the best news in the world, letting this hand represent you and me, the wallet represents sin. We all have sin on us. God says that He loves us.

Now He hates our sin, but He loves us. But because we’ve all send we have to pay for it and that payment is eternal separation from God in hell. God’s He doesn’t want us to go to hell. He wants us to go to heaven. And to go to heaven, you have to be perfect as righteous as God. None of us are perfect. None of us are good enough. We’re all sinners. We’ve all come short of God’s perfection. But God says, you can’t earn eternal life.

You can’t work your way to heaven. So how you live doesn’t determine where you go, because you’ll never live good enough to go to heaven. That’s why you need a Savior. This hand represents Jesus Christ. He’s the Lord God in the flesh. He came into the world because He loves us, but He hates what we do wrong. And He says, our sin separates us from the Lord. So Jesus Christ, who had no sin didn’t have to die, but because He loved us, He took our sins.

paid for them on the cross, came back from the dead. God said that if we would believe that he did it for us, he would put this payment he made to our account and we get to go to heaven on what he did. No, we don’t deserve that. We didn’t earn it. He says, by grace are you saved through faith that not of yourself. It is the gift of God. It’s not a works list any man should boast. So salvation, it’s free.

You don’t have to stop something or join anything. All you have to do is trust Christ as your Savior. So right where you’re setting it, right now, the quietness of your mind. The Lord knows who you are, knows what you’ve done, knows what you’re gonna do. Still loves you. And He said He would give you as a free gift eternal life if you simply trusted Him. So I’m gonna ask you in just a moment, we’re gonna buy our heads, close our eyes, because I don’t want you to be embarrassed.

But I’m gonna ask you, will you trust Jesus Christ right now as your Savior, would you trust Him to take you to heaven when you die? God said if you believed that He did it for you, He would save you right now. I do it this way because I want to know what I said made sense to you. I’m just being honest with you. And the only way I know to do it is to ask you. And it would be forever if I went down each person and asked, did you trust Him?

Did you trust Him? It’s a lot easier if you just say, and by that time I know you trust in Christ as you’re I say to you this morning, if what I said this morning made sense to you about how to have eternal life and go to heaven, would you trust Him right now? I want you to trust the Lord. I really do. I want you to go to heaven when you die. But right where you’re sitting, so yet makes sense to me and I want to be certain.

Is there anyone at all before we close? Let’s pray, Shavim. Our Father, we thank You so much for all that You’ve given us. For all that You’ve given us in Your Word. And Lord, there’s so much we’ll never understand at all. And maybe you even get a little bit out of sequence once in a while. But Father, we get the gist of it. And we just pray for wisdom. We want to be as accurate as we can. It’s Your Word.

And You say to study, to show ourselves approved. A work that need not to be ashamed. rightly dividing the word of truth. We thank you for each person here and for your will to be done in Christ’s name. Amen. Thank you. You’ve been listening to Bibleline, a teaching ministry of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida, with Dr. Ralph Arnold. We pray that you were blessed by today’s message. If you have enjoyed our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ, you can reach Bibleline and pledge your support to keep us on the air in your area.

area by dialing toll free 1-800-576-3771. That’s 1-800-576-3771. If you wish to hear today’s program again or would like to download a free MP3 of today’s or any previous Bibleline program, go to BibleLineMinistries.org and click on the spinning globe in the upper right corner of our home page. If you’re in the area, we welcome you to visit us. The address for Calvary Community Church is 4811 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634. Our Sunday morning services begin at 1030 and at 6 o’clock on Sunday evening.

Live broadcast of our services may be seen by going to our church website, calvaryoftampa.org. Thanks for joining us on Bible Live, and now a closing thought from Pastor Arnold. Friends, one day it will happen. The trumpet will sound. We will be changed. Hot up to meet the Lord in the air. So live today and every day, believing that the Lord is coming soon. Just keep looking up.