The Book of Acts (2)

For the first time in History the Holy Spirit is filling the church.

We are reading Lukes account of what God has done in the church.

Acts 2:1–13 NKJV

1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5 And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. 6 And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. 7 Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.” 12 So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “Whatever could this mean?” 13 Others mocking said, “They are full of new wine.”

One accord means they where all single minded. At the beginning of the church there was unity.

In the first couple years you really don’t know who’s apart of your church.

Acts 1:4 NKJV

4 And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me;

“When the day of Pentecost was being fulfilled” This verse is suggesting the end of a period of preparation and anticipation.

Pentecost was called in the OT the feast of weeks because it was held 7 weeks or 50 days after Passover.

In Lev. 23 - there was feast that the children of Israel was suppose to keep and uphold

The Passover and Unleavened Bread ( a reference to Calvary)

The Feast of First-fruits ( A reference to The Resurrection)

The feast of weeks ( a prophetical reference to Pentecost)

The feast of the trumpet ( a reference to the rapture)

The Day of Atonement ( reference to the Tribulation period)

The Feast of the tabernacle ( reference to the Millennium)

The Feast of Weeks was one of three OT pilgrimage festivals when individuals were to appear before the Lord with gifts and offerings (Ex 23:14–17). The festival was primarily a harvest festival and celebrated the end of the barley harvest and the beginning of the wheat harvest.

So you have allot of Jewish people from various different backgrounds coming together to celebrate The feast of weeks or Pentecost.

So God strategically used this annual holiday to present the coming of The Holy Spirit.

It only makes sense that The Holy Spirit would come at this time because it was so close to passover which represents the crucifixion of Christ.

And because its so closely associated with the First Fruits Celebration. The Holy Spirit is the First Fruits of our salvation.

This presentation of The Holy Spirit wasn’t to any people group but specially to the Jewish people.

The gospel message was to the Jew First and then the Gentile

Romans 1:16 “16 For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.”

As great as this display of The Holy Spirit was and is. This incredible public display of The Holy Spirit wasn’t enough to save these people.

We see they still mocked

Acts 2:13 “13 But others in the crowd ridiculed them, saying, “They’re just drunk, that’s all!”

Some churches you have a very dry word no life no Spirit. and Some churches you have these “presumably” out pouring of the Spirit but not gospel no word. But they need to be both.

So God used this unlearned man named Peter preaching the gospel full of The Spirit of God. Where people became pricked in there hearts and recieved Christ.

It was Peter quoting the prophet Joel and King David and tying into the gospel message saved those people. It was the foolishness of preaching that stirred the hearts and minds of those people and brought them to a decision to believe or reject Christ.

The Epistles define for us the gifts. Luke is writing what He seen and his narrative.

Acts 2:2 “2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.”

Suddenly - immediately , though they where waiting for the coming of The Lord they didn’t know He would come this way .

Acts 2:3 “3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.”

God gives us a sound and sight display of The Holy Spirits coming.

The sound is from heaven as a rushing mighty wind.

In the Ot such sound often accompanied a theophany.

Ex 19:16 “16 On the morning of the third day, thunder roared and lightning flashed, and a dense cloud came down on the mountain. There was a long, loud blast from a ram’s horn, and all the people trembled.”

Ex 19:19 “19 As the blast of the ram’s horn grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God thundered his reply.”

Ex 20:18 “18 When the people heard the thunder and the loud blast of the ram’s horn, and when they saw the flashes of lightning and the smoke billowing from the mountain, they stood at a distance, trembling with fear.”

Hebrews 12:19 “19 For they heard an awesome trumpet blast and a voice so terrible that they begged God to stop speaking.”

A Violent, rushing wind symbolizes the Holy Spirit

Ezek 37:9-14 “9 Then he said to me, “Speak a prophetic message to the winds, son of man. Speak a prophetic message and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, O breath, from the four winds! Breathe into these dead bodies so they may live again.’ ” 10 So I spoke the message as he commanded me, and breath came into their bodies. They all came to life and stood up on their feet—a great army. 11 Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones represent the people of Israel. They are saying, ‘We have become old, dry bones—all hope is gone. Our nation is finished.’ 12 Therefore, prophesy to them and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: O my people, I will open your graves of exile and cause you to rise again. Then I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 When this happens, O my people, you will know that I am the Lord. 14 I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live again and return home to your own land. Then you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken, and I have done what I said.…”

Luke 16:16 “16 “Until John the Baptist, the law of Moses and the messages of the prophets were your guides. But now the Good News of the Kingdom of God is preached, and everyone is eager to get in.”

Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven, suggesting the powerful presence of God (cf. 1 Ki. 19:11), as it filled the whole house where they were sitting.

In the Scripture, wind is an emblem for the Spirit or creative breath of God.

2 Sa. 22:16 “16 Then at the command of the Lord, at the blast of his breath, the bottom of the sea could be seen, and the foundations of the earth were laid bare.”

Ps. 33:6 “6 The Lord merely spoke, and the heavens were created. He breathed the word, and all the stars were born.”

Ezk. 37:9-10 “9 Then he said to me, “Speak a prophetic message to the winds, son of man. Speak a prophetic message and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, O breath, from the four winds! Breathe into these dead bodies so they may live again.’ ” 10 So I spoke the message as he commanded me, and breath came into their bodies. They all came to life and stood up on their feet—a great army.”

John 3:8 “8 The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.””

Speaking in tongues was a very anointed and mavaerlous public display of The inauguration of The Holy Spirit.

It was very specific circumstances under which these tongues where used.

And it ultimately pointed people to the gospel message to follow.

The Holy Spirit is who grows the church.

The ministry that we have should be the ministry of The Holy Spirit.