Welcome to Bible Believers Fellowship and the ministry of bbfohio.com. I'm Pastor Greg and I welcome you to this study in the book of Acts, chapter 2, verses 37 through 47, as we end our study of the second chapter of Acts with the message titled, Save Yourselves from this Untoward Generation. We demonstrate that by rightly dividing the word, we avoid the pitfalls, the false gospels, the false doctrine and confusion that many experience as a result of mishandling the book of Acts. The conclusion of our study can be found at bbfohio.com. This is part one. All right, Acts chapter 2. If you want to have your Bibles open, save yourselves from this untoward generation will be our study. But before we go into our study, we would like to share communion. And so I'd like Brother Brian Massa, if you would, and Brother Jim, if you would join him. We have the bread, which is unleavened, representing Jesus without sin. You'll see the bread is pierced as Jesus was pierced in his hands and his feet, his side, the crown of thorns on his head. The burnt represents the fact he paid the price in full. All the suffering of hell and damnation was poured out on Jesus Christ who became sin for us. We do not worship the bread. We do not believe that this supernaturally becomes the actual flesh of Jesus. We do this in remembrance of what Jesus has done for us. As we take this bread and it is broken, then we represent the broken body of Jesus. He was beaten. He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon Him by whose stripes we are healed. I want to encourage you to only take part in this if you have by faith trusted in the broken body and shed blood of Jesus Christ alone, apart from any works you've done, for eternal salvation. And that's why Brian is going to bring this around to you. Jim will bring the cup. with the wine that represents the blood of Jesus. Now the Bible warns that if you take of this unworthily, some are sick and others sleep. I believe the Bible, so I share that with you. If you're living in unrepentant sin and you take this, you had better take a moment to confess your sin before the Lord And He is faithful and just to forgive you of your sin, to cleanse you from all unrighteousness. Do not take this as a hypocrite or an unbeliever is our urging as we continue. After you've received the elements, I ask you to just bow your head and close your eyes to give everyone some privacy and give yourself some privacy to commune with the Lord. Thank Him for what He's done to save you. You've got a clear conscience. You've confessed your sin. Praise Him and thank Him. Matthew's Gospel, chapter 26, verse 26 says, and as they were eating, Jesus took bread and blessed it and break it and gave it to the disciples. Father, our blessing of this bread is upon what it represents. And we thank you so much for what Jesus did to save our vile bodies and our wicked, sinful souls from an eternal hell. Thank you, and we praise you in Jesus' name. And he said, take eat, this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it, for this is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. He went on to say, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom. When we take the bread and the wine in remembrance of Jesus, we remember what he's done and we also remember what he's about to do. The current events update. We'll start with a reminder to vote yes on issue one between now and August 8th. Early voting has begun. Sister Jessica's got her mail-in ballot ready, and Jenny's going to help her get that filled out and mailed in. So she's being a good example. How many have already voted? Mark, he's ahead of the game. Way to go. We'll be getting that done this week. Number two. The Ohio State University continues ripping students off. I don't know if you saw this. The Ohio State University's Board of Trustees has unanimously passed an increase in the price of tuition for the incoming freshman class during a meeting on Friday. You need to understand, that university was supposed to be a place where Ohio students could go and have an affordable education. It'll cost you, just in tuition, more than 50 grand for a four-year degree. I responded, with a $7 billion endowment under their belts. Do you understand that? They've got $7 billion in an endowment, and they're charging $50,000 plus for a four-year degree. It's a scam. Go Bucs. That should be their new logo. And number three, the left-wing virtue signaling just gets dumber and dumber. This was 4th of July, Ben and Jerry's. Several of you hadn't heard about this, but there's more to it, so I'll go ahead and just start from the beginning. On the 4th of July, Ben and Jerry said, it's high time we recognize that the U.S. exists on stolen indigenous land. Commit to returning it. It's supposed to give back the land. Look at the little sign down. This is stolen land. Well, Ben and Jerry's headquarters is on stolen Native American land, according to a Vermont chief. He's chief of the Nohegan Band of the Cusack Abenaki Nation. His name is Don Stevens. Doesn't sound like a very Indian name, but they But he says that the headquarters of Ben and Jerry's is on stolen land. Stevens added that if the ice cream maker is sincere in that stupid post, it should reach out to him as the company's corporate headquarters, located at 30 Community Drive in South Burlington, Vermont, is situated on Western Abenaki land. You think Ben and Jerry's going to give that back? No, because all these left-wingers are liars in their virtue signaling. They don't really believe what they say, but they like all the accolades and the applause and everything for making that bold stand on Twitter. Representatives for Ben and Jerry's did not immediately respond to the New York Post request for a comment, and they still haven't. Ben and Jerry's this week also included a call to action with a link to sign a petition to return Mount Rushmore to the Lakota peoples. Well, here's some historical information. Native Americans are not the original landowners. If you have land in anywhere in the United States of America, it may have once belonged to Native Americans in a very general sense. But they didn't even- they weren't civilized people. They didn't have records of ownership of land. So it's just like, yes, we owned it all. And they took it from people who were here before them. That's a fact. Some people just think human history goes back to 1492. Well, I mean, some people think we've been evolving for millions of years and all that. I mean, that's even worse to be so short-sighted. But I believe we've been here about 6,000 years. I believe we came off the boat. And, well, I'll show you what I mean. They just discovered this stone tools and camel tooth. discoveries suggest that people were in the Pacific Northwest more than 18,000 years ago. Now that's up around the state of Washington and Oregon is where they're finding this stuff. They were here, the things they're finding were here before our so-called Native Americans were here. It's a fact. And they're off by about 10,000 years. It was probably more like about 4,000 years ago, actually. But these were people scattered at Babel. See, what I'm trying to tell you is read the news with Bible goggles on. Everything you read in the news has to be deciphered through your Bible goggles. They say 18,000 years. We ain't been here that long. And we know it's happened since they came off the boat, Noah's Ark. But the scattering, according to the Bible, Genesis 11, 8. So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth. And they left off to build the city. So Babel resulted in the scattering of the people. And the Lord said it twice, by the way. Genesis 11, 9. Therefore is the name of it called Babel, because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth. And from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth. That includes America, north and south. It all goes back to Babel. There are some historical sources that expose this reality, but historical fiction is a fictional narrative with a historically true background to it. And there was a movie called Burying My Heart at Wounded Knee. It's pretty graphic in a couple of places, so if you go to watch it, be aware of that. It came out, believe it or not, this was 16 years ago in 2007. But it was a conversation between Colonel Nelson Miles and Sitting Bull. And Colonel Miles says, no matter what your legends say, you didn't sprout from the plains like the spring grasses. And you didn't coalesce out of them either. You came out of the Minnesota woodlands, armed to the teeth, and set upon your fellow man. These are the Native Americans. You massacred the Kiowa, the Omaha, the Ponca, the Otto, and the Pawnee without mercy. That's history. So-called Native Americans stole the land that they had that was then later taken by the Europeans. You call it stolen land, just go read history. Every nation on that map back there in the right-hand corner, every nation there took land from somebody else, including the United States of America and the rest of the world. Everybody would be giving back land to somebody if we followed that kind of nonsense. And Sitting Bull says, and who gave us the guns and powder to kill our enemies? And who traded weapons to the Chippewa and others who drove us from our home? And Colonel Miles says, Chief Sitting Bull, the proposition that you were a peaceable people before the appearance of the white man is the most fanciful legend of all. You were killing each other for hundreds of moons before the first white stepped foot on this continent. You conquered those tribes, lusting for their game and their lands, just as we have now conquered you for no less noble a cause. That's the truth. That's human history. That's not just Native Americans. Sitting Bull says, this is your story of my people. And Colonel Miles says, this is the truth, not legend. Crazy Horse has surrendered and his entire band. And by his surrender, he says to you and your people that you are defeated. And by ceding the Black Hills to us, so say Red Cloud and the other chiefs, who demand that you end this war and take your place on the reservation. That's the reality of what happened. It's not pretty. And there are some things done, like the Trail of Tears and things like that, that were horrible. Hitler used some of our American history and our treatment of the Native Americans were excuses for how he treated the Jews. And he was wrong for doing it, but he was right in his reverences. So we have plenty as a nation to be ashamed of, but no more or less than any other nation, for the most part. And that's the true history of your country. The reality is the Babel refugees settled the Americas and thrived with as many as 100 million plus populating the Americas by the time the Europeans arrived. You can read a book by Nathaniel Jensen of Answers in Genesis called Traced where he's showing DNA evidence. DNA evidence that shows that the Bible story of Babel and world history is the truth. Now it's heavy reading, it's DNA evidence, but it's there if you want to see it. Or you can go on Rumble and look up his name, Nathaniel Jensen, and find videos where he discusses it all. The natives that Columbus found were the culmination of generations of war and migration with one tribe destroying another and stealing the land. So you need to get that here, and you need to be able to discuss that, especially with our young people, so they know our true history as Americans. With that, be informed, pray accordingly. We'll be in Acts 2, beginning in verse 37. Save yourselves from this untoward generation. We're tight on this, because I want you to focus on what that means. We'll elaborate on that in a minute. Peter has preached the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. That's a fact. But he's confronting Israel with murdering their own Messiah. In other words, when you and I go out and preach the death, burial, and resurrection to the lost and dying world today, we don't look at them and say, you murdered Jesus! Repent! That's about what Peter was preaching. Because it was true. He's talking to people who either were, well, put it this way, I believe a lot if not all these people were there in the crowd yelling, crucify him. And the leaders that were there politically used their power to get him killed. So with that backdrop, let's pick up in verse 37, read through 47. I'll have you read odd verses with me, so begin right there in verse 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? 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. 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. And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, save yourselves from this untoward generation. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized, and the same day they were added unto them about three thousand souls, and they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. And fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. And all that believed were together, and had all things common, and sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. 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, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily, such as should be saved. Amen. So we're going to start there in verse 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? So when a sinner is pricked in their heart, they are now ready to face their need for a savior. That's one of the powerless things about the modern church is they believe that the way to reach the lost is to tell them how wonderful they are. These people were pricked in their heart of what? Their sin. And they realized they were wicked. He said, by wicked hands, you've taken this Christ and killed him, murdered him. You don't hear that kind of preaching much out there these days. But I'll give you this. I've done that kind of preaching, and I can tell you. is we've also got quite a stiff-necked, self-absorbed, self-loving, self-adulating, self-appreciative crowd that we're preaching to these days. And when you preach like that, they really get angry. They get real upset with you. I'm wonderful. How could you say such terrible things about me? I wake up every morning and tell myself how wonderful I am. If you don't think people are doing that, you don't know your people. People are being told to wake up in the morning, look in the mirror, and say, you're wonderful. What is his name? Al Franken did that character. Stuart Smalley. Yeah, some of you are old enough to know what I'm talking about. You're wonderful, and people love you. And there are people who are listening, you see some people with headphones on, I'm either listening to some good gospel music or a book on tape or whatever, but a lot of people are listening to books on tapes are, you are amazing. You are made of stardust. You are, I'm not kidding you. It's all about you coming to terms with you think too little of yourself. And then they come across some preacher. Repent! You have sinned against a holy God! You deserve hell! You're wicked! Without Christ you perish! Man! I mean, you can see the look on their face. They just look at you like, how in the world could you say such things? And by the way, that's why we're being blamed for the high suicide rate among the sodomites. They're claiming that because we're preaching and saying it's a sin, you need to repent, that that somehow is upsetting them and they're killing themselves. I'll tell you why they're killing themselves. Because they're in rebellion against God and they're giving over to the devil. And the devil has come to kill, to steal and destroy. And instead of repenting toward God, what do they do? They think they're gonna end their problems. Popping those pills or whatever they do, jump off a bridge, hang themselves, they're doing all kinds. And they lift up their eyes in hell. Isn't that terrible? But that's what we're supposed to do is to preach the truth to a bunch of lost people and tell them so that if they will hear, if they will receive, they'll be pricked in their hearts. Peter, man, he laid it on them. We're not going to go back and read all that in the last study. But he's saying what we sang in that song. What will you do with Jesus? Now, we say that to people out there, but it's different than what Peter's saying here. Peter's looking to say, you killed Him, and He's alive. Now what are you going to do? And that's why we come to this unique invitation to Jews. What Peter preaches here is not ever going to be what you hear me preach here today. It's a unique moment in history. Pick it up in verse 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. Verse 39, it goes on, it's part of the invitation. 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. So the promise is to all, that's true. If you get saved, you turn to Jesus Christ, repenting toward God with faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ, trusting in his shed blood that he has paid for your sins and his death on the cross, was buried and rose again after three days, you will receive the same Holy Spirit. You just won't receive it the same way. That's where the difference is. What's happening in Acts 2 will not happen to you. When you were saved, it didn't happen to you. And if you're lost today and you get saved, it won't happen to you the same way. This is unique. Scripture with Scripture. This is the gospel that we preach. Turn over a few pages. 1 Corinthians 15. I would never take for granted that anybody has this clearly in their mind. We will remind you of this over and over until the Lord comes. 1 Corinthians 15, beginning of verse 1, Paul says, Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel. Not a gospel, the gospel. Now it is the gospel for this dispensation. This isn't the gospel that was preached to Adam and Eve in the garden. This isn't the gospel that Noah preached while he was building the ark. It's not the gospel that Moses preached to Israel. It won't be exactly the same gospel that's going to be preached by the 144,000 during the time of tribulation. It's not the same gospel that's going to be preached during the millennium. But it's the gospel for this dispensation. And he says, which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand. by which also you are saved if you keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless you have believed in vain. We don't have time to get into that. That's not talking about losing your salvation. That means if you were really saved and you understood, and it's going to be a part of you now. If it went in one ear and out the other, you made a profession, walked out, and there's no change, you weren't really born again, then you need saved. That's all he's saying. But if you're saved, you're saved. Read three and four with me. For I delivered unto you, first of all, that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day, according to the scriptures. And from that point on, he talks about the eyewitnesses, which established this fact of what the gospel is. That's the gospel that you and I preach. We're not gonna run around telling you, Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus. We're not gonna preach that. That's one time that was preached. One time. Acts chapter two. And it's a unique invitation to the very people who murdered Jesus Christ, the men of Judea, the house of Israel. The curse, if we preach Acts 2.38 or any other gospel, is found in Galatians one. So turn over there. Galatians chapter one. Verses six through nine. Verse six says, I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel.