d.john 17:20-26 – the lord’s prayer for church age saints 1.john 17:20 – here, jesus enlarged...

Panorama of the

New Testament

The High Priestly Prayer

D. John 17:20-26 – The Lord’s prayer for church age saints1. John 17:20 – Here, Jesus enlarged His

supplication in order to pray for us too. The apostles would communicate not only the Gospel message but also truths about being spiritual, not carnal, in this present world. Matthew 28:19-20a


2. John 17:21 – Jesus prayed that His disciples could have fellowship with the Father, each other, and Himself (1 John 1:3) so that their testimony to the world would have impact.

3. John 17:22 –In His prayer, Jesus stated that He had imparted His glory to us so that we can have a unity among ourselves similar to the unity He has with the Father. In spiritual growth, we manifest His character (glory), which is the same as the fruit of the Spirit.


4. John 17:23 – In prayer, Christ shared that the purpose for abiding in Christ and Christ abiding in them was for Christians to be brought to a complete unity, something the world can never achieve or experience.a. John 17:23a – Unity is possible only when

truth is known and practiced.


1) Don’t accept those who declare, “Christ unites but doctrine divides,” or “biblical orthodoxy doesn’t matter.” John 17:20 says that God has a message for us to believe and communicate. We must be trained to communicate it accurately, boldly, and with certainty. John 8:32


2) Those who say that unity is possible even without agreement on biblical truths are mishandling Scripture. Acts 20:27, 1 Timothy 4:16, 2 Timothy 1:13-14

Doctrinal SummaryUnity and Diversity

Creator-God exists eternally as the only God in three distinct Persons.

The unity and diversity found in the Godhead belongs to the personal Creator of all things.

The unity and diversity in the Godhead serves as the ultimate and absolute expression of reality.

TrinityFatherEph. 1:3

SonJohn 1:1, 14

HolySpirit

Acts 5:3-4

co-equal

co-eternal

co-in

finite

Love+R JusticeSovereigntyEternality

Veracity ImmutabilityOmniscience Omnipotence

Omnipresence

Tri-unity

One God1 Tim. 2:5

Three Distinct Persons

Matt. 28:19


Only the Triunity of God provides the basis for making sense of the universals and particulars we observe in creation.

The balance of unity and diversity within the Triune relationship provides a model for human society.

The Trinity serves to demonstrate the unity that should exist within the diversity of the body of Christ – Ephesians 4:1-7.


A strong church lovingly prioritizes the Word of God and functions with the diversity of gifts in harmony with the faith.

One Body

DiversityMany Members

Many Members

UnityOne Body

ONE(unity)

MANY(diversity)

The body is one

are one body

and has manymembers

though they are many

1 Corinthians12:12

1 Corinthians 12:27

Paul’s Thought Flow


b. John 17:23b – Jesus’ prayer focused on the second tense of salvation, God's deliverance of us from sin’s power while we are on Earth. Knowledge of the truth is of a premium for this deliverance to be a reality.1) John 17:17, 19 – Sanctification comes

through the truth. God’s Word is truth.2) John 17:20 – You cannot preach if you

don’t know the truth. Ephesians 4:11-16


3) John 17:21-22 – Obviously, believers must mutually embrace the truth by faith in order to achieve a unity that attracts the world toward us and the Gospel that we preach.

4) John 17:23 – Understanding the truth of “I in them and You in Me” leads to spiritual maturity. Spiritual maturity manifests God’s love to the world and serves as a witness of the truth.

Permanent RealitySaved from thePenalty of sin

Titus 2:11Colossians 3:1

R.C. Ward, October 2005; adapted from a chart by Ronald C. Merryman

Believer in Time

Present RealitySaved from thePower of sin

Titus 2:12Colossians 3:2-3

“The Righteous shall live by faith” – Habakkuk 2:4

Rapture

Future RealitySaved from thePresence of sin

Titus 2:13Colossians 3:4


5. John 17:24 – Our eternal destiny in Christ includes the incredible honor of eternally beholding the Lamb of God and basking in the presence of His shining greatness through all eternity. Ephesians 2:6-7, Revelation 1:13-16

6. John 17:25 – The Lord’s presence among the disciples constantly revealed the Father’s essence to them and certified that Jesus had indeed been sent from above. 1 John 1:1-3


7. John 17:26 – Jesus closed His prayer by stating that He had already taught them about the Father and would continue to do so. The results He expected in them from this knowledge of God were twofold.a. First, Jesus expected that as they grew to

know the Father better, they would have hands-on knowledge of His love. Romans 5:5, Ephesians 3:17b-19, Galatians 4:6


b. Second, Jesus expected that He would abide in them. Ephesians 3:14-17a, Philippians 1:9

Jesus Our High PriestMediator

Jesus is the Mediator between men and God – 1 Timothy 2:5-6

Jesus is a sympathetic High Priest having lived through the human experience – Hebrews 4:15.

Jesus established a Priesthood superior to the Aaronic priesthood.

Jesus Our High PriestApplication

Let us enter into His rest – Heb. 4:1, 11.

Let us engage in intercessory prayer – Hebrews 4:16.

Let us press on to the high ground of maturity – Hebrews 6:1.

Let us stand firm – Hebrews 10:23.

Jesus Our High PriestApplication

Let us persevere in divine good production – Hebrews 10:24.

Let us run the race set before us with our focus on Christ – Hebrews 12:1-3.

Let us give thanks to the Lord – Hebrews 13:15.

The Day of Pentecost

V. Acts 2-7—Arrival of the Holy Spirit and the witness in Jerusalem

A. Acts 2:1-13 – The Day of Pentecost1. Acts 2:1 – This event focused primarily on

the apostles, but all 120 disciples may have been present. Acts 1:15

2. Acts 2:2 – These believers knew the Holy Spirit was coming and patiently waited for Him to fulfill Jesus’ promise about His arrival. Acts 1:8a


a. Acts 2:2a – Suddenly, a loud and disturbing noise like a violent, rushing wind came from Heaven and filled the house in which the disciples waited.

b. Acts 2:2b – Interestingly, nowhere does the text say that an actual wind came.

c. Acts 2:2c – The noise was so extremely loud that it was heard by many in Jerusalem. Acts 2:6

Church Age Tribulation

Times of the Gentiles (Luke 21:24)

Appointed Times Prophetic TimelinePassover

Daniel 9:26b-27

UnleavenedBread

Firstfruits

CHURCH NOT PROPHESIEDIN THE OLD TESTAMENT

Pentecost

Tabernacles

Trumpets

First AdventFulfillment

Second AdventFulfillment

Day of Atonement


3. Acts 2:3 – There appeared what looked like flames (tongues) of fire that divided and rested on each of them. These flames (tongues) may have been a manifestation of the Shekinah glory of the Holy Spirit, who is God.


4. Acts 2:4 – Immediately, the disciples spoke languages that they did not understand but could be understood by those who spoke the languages. Please note that these languages were actual, understandable, existing, human languages.


5. Acts 2:5 – Each year, many Jews from around the world stayed in Jerusalem from Passover to Pentecost (50 days), providing the perfect circumstance for the Gospel to be preached and quickly spread to the nations.

6. Acts 2:6 – The crowd heard the sound of the Holy Spirit’s coming even though they were not in the room.


7. Acts 2:7 – The crowd was astounded to hear Galileans, who were considered uneducated, speaking multiple Gentile languages.

8. Acts 2:8 – This crowd of diverse origins was amazed to hear these men speak their native languages fluently.a. These disciples spoke various languages

from around the world.


b. The gift of speaking these languages was not in the ear of the hearer but in the mouth of the speaker.


9. Acts 2:9-11a – The languages spoken on that day were from the Far East, Near East, northern Africa, Rome, Crete, and Arabia.

10.Acts 2:11b – Without doubt, one of God's purposes in giving this language gift was to enable the rapid spread of the Gospel.


11.Acts 2:12 – The fact that God's wonders were being taught using Gentile languages had profound implications for the Jews.a. Isaiah 28:11 – Many years before (c. 730

B.C.), Isaiah had prophesied that Gentile languages would be used to communicate God’s message to the people of Israel.1) To hear a foreign language in their

homeland meant they had been captured or invaded.


2) God designed these foreign languages to declare His judgment to both the leaders and people of Israel.

3) Foreign languages were spoken in Israel many times, whenever they rebelled against God and were captured or invaded.


b. Isaiah 28:12 – Rest is kingdom terminology. Jesus had offered Israel the kingdom, but they had rejected it; therefore, when the Holy Spirit descended, God used the sign of unknown Gentile languages to give Israel another opportunity to repent and believe in Christ as Messiah.


c. Isaiah 28:13 – So the word of the LORD to them will be …blah blah blah… that they may go and stumble backward, be broken, snared, and taken captive.1) When Israel would not hear God's

message, He gave them a sign of their judgment in the form of foreign languages.


2) Many people suddenly speaking in foreign languages constituted a startling event and an obvious attempt by God to get Israel’s full attention.


12.Acts 2:13a – The disciples’ speaking in strange sounding languages (not Hebrew) caused some to think they were drunk.

13.Acts 2:13b – Unsaved people do not comprehend God's work. It looks like foolishness to them. In instances like these, Satan loves to try to confuse what God is doing. 1 Corinthians 1:27-29, 2 Corinthians 4:3-4

Peter’s First Sermon

B. Acts 2:14-40 – Peter’s first sermon1. Although the church remained essentially

Jewish for some time, Peter’s sermon marked a dispensational shift into the church dispensation (age).

2. What do we mean when we say dispensation?a. A dispensation is a description of God’s

stewardship of a portion of human history.

Dispensations

b. A dispensation functions like a dispensary.1) A dispensary is a controlled chamber in

which goods are organized, warehoused, regulated, and dispensed. Virtually all dispensaries have the same function, but no two dispensaries are managed in the same way.

Dispensations

2) Since the beginning of the world, God has sovereignly governed human history. We observe through the historical record of God's Word precisely how He has managed history. Dispensational theology is the science of this observation.

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God’s Plan for Human History

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Genesis2-3

Genesis4-8

Genesis9-11

Genesis12-50

Exodus 1-John 19

The Gospels

Acts 2 –Rev. 3

Rev. 20:1-9

Rev. 6-19

About 6,000 years of human history

Dispensations

c. Dispensational theology1) A person is dispensational in theology

to the degree he faithfully employs a literal interpretation of Scripture in his study of God's Word. Removing this key foundation destroys dispensational theology.

Dispensations

2) Dispensational theology seeks to show the unity of God’s plan by explaining the differences in His administration of various eras of human history and the lack of contradiction in those differences.

Dispensations

3) Dispensationalism is wrongly accused of teaching that people are saved by different means in each dispensation. On the contrary, classic dispensationalists teach that salvation has always been by grace through faith.

4) A change in dispensations marks a change in the way God governs at a specific time in human history.

Dispensations

d. Classical dispensationalists recognize seven dispensations: Innocence, Conscience, Human Government, Promise, Law, Church (or Grace), and the Millennial kingdom. In each dispensation, God gave mankind divine responsibilities.1) In the Dispensation of Innocence, God

required mankind to remain innocent of the sin of disobedience. Genesis 1-3

Dispensations

2) In the Dispensation of Conscience, God required mankind to live according to the knowledge of right and wrong that they acquired at the fall. Genesis 4-8

3) In the Dispensation of Human Government, God required mankind to equitably and justly manage the affairs of humankind. Genesis 9-11

Dispensations

4) In the Dispensation of Promise, God required Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the subsequent nation Israel to bring Him glory by being His special, holy nation under His direct rule. Genesis 12-Exodus 19

5) In the Dispensation of the Law, God required national Israel to merit His physical blessings through strict obedience to His laws. Exodus 20-Acts1

Dispensations

6) In the present Dispensation of the Church, God requires believers to make disciples of all nations, thus building the church. He requires the world to believe the Gospel to be saved. Acts 2-Revelation 3

Dispensations

7) In the Dispensation of the Millennial Kingdom, God will require Israel to faithfully rule the Earth under the leadership of Christ the King and the nations to submit to their rule. Revelation 4-20:10

Dispensations

e. Sadly, Scripture records that each dispensation ends with mankind rebelling against God and God judging them.1) The Dispensation of Innocence ended

with man’s rebellion in eating the forbidden fruit and God's judgment against man, Satan, and all creation because of that sin. Genesis 1-3

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Genesis2-3

Dispensations

2) The Dispensation of Conscience ended with mankind thinking evil continually and God's judgment of the global flood. Genesis 4-8

3) The Dispensation of Human Government ended with mankind rebelling by building the tower of Babel and God’s judgment of confusing the languages. Genesis 9-11

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Genesis2-3

Genesis4-8

Genesis9-11

Dispensations

4) The Dispensation of Promise ended with Jacob’s sons living like the pagans in the land and God's judgment of removing them to Egypt and eventual slavery. God also judged Egypt for oppressing His nation. Genesis 12-Exodus 19

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Genesis2-3

Genesis4-8

Genesis9-11

Genesis12-50

Exodus 1-John 19

Dispensations

5) The Dispensation of the Law ended with Israel’s rejection of the Messiah and God's judgment of Israel, including the eventual destruction of the temple and the dispersion of Jews around the world. Exodus 20-John 19

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Law

Genesis2-3

Genesis4-8

Genesis9-11

Genesis12-50

Exodus 1-John 19

The Gospels

Dispensations

6) The present Dispensation of the Church will end with rampant apostasy near the time of the rapture. The church will be judged at the Judgment Seat of Christ, and the unsaved will face the judgment of the Tribulation (Daniel 9:24, Revelation 6-19). Acts 2-Revelation 3

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Genesis2-3

Genesis4-8

Genesis9-11

Genesis12-50

Exodus 1-John 19

The Gospels

Acts 2 –Rev. 3


Dispensations

7) The Dispensation of the Millennial Kingdom will end with Satan leading a final rebellion and God’s final judgment of the world. Revelation 20:1-10

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God’s Plan for Human History

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Genesis2-3

Genesis4-8

Genesis9-11

Genesis12-50

Exodus 1-John 19

The Gospels

Acts 2 –Rev. 3

Rev. 20:1-9

Rev. 6-19


Beginning of the Church

f. Why do we mark the beginning of the church in Acts 2 and not later in Acts?1) Matthew 16:18 – Christ emphatically

said He would build His church (not churches) and that the gates of Hades would not prevail against it. Jesus instituted the church at Pentecost. John 1:17, Romans 6:14


2) Acts 1:4-5 – Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would come and baptize them. The Spirit’s ministry in this dispensation has been to baptize believers into the body of Christ. Galatians 3:26-27, Ephesians 1:13-14, 4:30, Romans 6:3-4

PneumatologyBaptizing of the Holy Spirit

The one time real identification of the believer with the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ resulting in positional identification with Christ.

Romans 6:11

DeathRom. 6:6

Burial Resurrection

Ascension

SessionCol.2:9-12

Rom. 6:4 Rom.6:5

Col. 3:1-4

R.C. Ward, September 2005

PneumatologyBaptizing of the Holy Spirit

The baptism of the Holy Spirit is unique to the Church Age only and did not happen prior to the Church.

Jesus told the disciples about the baptizing ministry connected to the Holy Spirit – Acts 1:5.


3) Acts 2:47 (Received Text) – And the Lord added to the church EKKLESIA daily such as should be saved.

4) Acts 5:11 – And great fear came over the whole church EKKLESIA. This verse proves that early in the book of Acts, the church already existed.


5) Acts 11:15-18 – The Holy Spirit fell upon them just as He did upon us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord…John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. Christ’s church is His body. Man gets into Christ’s body through the baptism of the Holy Spirit, which began at Pentecost.


g. Did the church begin with Paul? An emphatic NO!1) Romans 16:8 – Part of the Holy Spirit’s

ministry is to place people in Christ. Andronicus and Junias were in Christ before Paul.


2) 1 Corinthians 15:9 – Paul stated that before he was saved he persecuted God’s church. For I am the least of the apostles and not fit to be called an apostle because I persecuted the church ofGod. Acts 8:3


h. Were there two churches, a Jewish one and a Gentile one? No, there is, always has been, and always will be only one church, which is the body and bride of Christ.1) Ephesians 1:22-23 – Christ has been

made the Head over all things to the church which is his body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. Christ has only one body.


2) Ephesians 4:3-4a – …being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit… The one body of Christ always has been made up of Jews and Gentiles. Ephesians 2:18, 1 Corinthians 10:32


3) 1 Corinthians 12:13 – For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. (cf. Colossians 1:24-25)

d.john 17:20-26 – the lord’s prayer for church age saints 1.john 17:20 – here, jesus enlarged...

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