No Crisis Experience Commanded #6

Acts 2:1-4 Principles of Christian Living

In "No Crisis Experience Commanded #6," Pastor Albert N. Martin continues his series refuting the notion that a post-conversion crisis experience, often marked by miraculous signs like speaking in tongues, is normative or commanded for all believers. He expounds passages from the Book of Acts (chapters 2, 8, 10, 19) that record instances of the Holy Spirit's reception with visible signs, arguing that these events are not a pattern for all ages but rather record the unique transition from the Old Testament economy of anticipation to the New Testament economy of fulfillment. Martin emphasizes that these miraculous signs served to confirm the validity of the apostles' ministry and the ushering in of the new covenant, urging believers to handle Scripture responsibly and avoid imposing personal experiences onto the biblical text.

3 illustrations in this sermon

Principle 1: Acts Records the Transition from Old to New Economy

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Economy as Household Management

Driving home: The Book of Acts records the transition from the old economy to the new.

Martin clarifies the term 'economy' as used by old writers, meaning the management or administration of a household, to explain God's administration of His people in different ages.

from the old economy to the new. Now, when I use the word economy, I'm using it not in the sense that it has to do with finances in Jerusalem or in Palestine or in Judea and Samaria, but the word economy is used in the old writers in its more classic sense, and it even occurs this way in our modern dictionaries under one of the meanings, the management or the administration of a household. Now, the Old Testament people of God, the Old Testament age, the Old Testament economy,

24:29 - 25:05 Read in full sermon

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Presidential Transition

In this part of the sermon: The first major principle is introduced: the Book of Acts records the transition from the Old Testament economy of preparation and anticipation to the New Testament economy of…

The transition period between the Old and New Testaments is compared to the transition between a newly elected president and the outgoing administration, illustrating the winding down of one and the ushering in of another.

Now, we all know what a transition is. A new president is elected in November. He's actually installed in January, and between November and January, the two presidents and all...

33:50 - 34:02 Read in full sermon

Confirmation of the New Economy and Responsible Scripture Handling

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Personal Struggle for Baptism of the Spirit

The point: Do not be afraid to grapple with these perspectives to responsibly handle portions of the Word of God.

Martin shares his personal experience as a new convert, being urged to seek a 'baptism' experience with tongues and praying for it half the night, to demonstrate his empathy and firsthand understanding of the issue.

I say that tongue-in-cheek. Now seriously, some of us who can remember very well wrestling with these passages early in our Christian experience, I didn't know much. I'd just been converted and had people take me through those passages and say, now don't you want all God has for you? I said, you bet your boots I do. They said, well then it's obvious there's something more for you.

44:16 - 44:44 Read in full sermon

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