The Witness of Pentecost

Acts 2:1–4 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.

What do you think of when you hear the word, “Pentecost?” For many, it isn’t “50” (which is the literal meaning in the Greek), but “Pentecostal.” When I got saved I had no background in churches or denominations. To me, church was just church. Not too long after we were married my wife found a church near where we lived. It was a Pentecostal church. I got saved there and experienced God personally in the most powerful way. I did not know anything about shouting or running or dancing or tambourines or flags or “no makeup rules” or ankle-length clothes or tongues or manifestations or any of the other things that we might associate with Pentecost.

Today is Pentecost Sunday and I want to talk to you about the meaning and importance of Pentecost for us today as followers of Jesus.

“If God were to take the Holy Spirit out of this world, much of what we’re doing in our churches would go right on and nobody would know the difference!…I do not believe in a repetition of Pentecost, but I do believe in a perpetuation of Pentecost—and there is a vast difference between the two.” <cite>A.W. Tozer</cite>

The point that A.W. Tozer is making is that we need the Holy Spirit if we are going to make a difference in this world. Pentecost wasn’t just a one time event to be replayed each year or only at special times but it is a movement where God’s people continuously receive empowerment and leading from the Holy Spirit.

We need to receive the Holy Spirit if we are going to be His witnesses and testify of the kingdom of God with actual impact.

Necessary, Not Optional

Acts 1:4–8 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; 5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” 6 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

When it comes to the Holy Spirit and our need for His presence in our lives many people have opted out. This might be due to the weirdness and strange behaviors that we hear about from people who are “Pentecostal” or “Spirit-filled.”

Or it might be because of ignorance…some denominations don’t teach on the Holy Spirit and therefore many Christians aren’t even aware that there is such a thing as the personal presence of God in our lives.

Sometimes we are like the disciples who are more focused on the future and heaven than they are on the present and the kingdom now.

But there is a need for the presence and power in the life of the Church and in the lives of each follower of Jesus. We need to receive the same grace and supernatural power that the early disciples of Jesus had.

This was the power that changed people’s lives and the world.

This is why Jesus commanded the disciples to wait before they went out to continue in His mission to declare the gospel to the world. They needed the Holy Spirit. And we do too.

The Witness of Pentecost

Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would and give power to the disciples so that they could be witnesses to Him in the world.

After the crowds arrived and wondered what was going on, the Apostle Peter stood up and told them that this was a special day and one that was prophesied by God through the prophet Joel (Acts 2.16).

Pentecost, itself, is a witness to us and to the world.

We’re going to look at three ways Pentecost witnesses even to us today and one key thing we can do to experience the power behind Pentecost for ourselves.

Pentecost Testifies of Resurrection Life

Acts 2:36–41 NKJV

36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” 37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” 38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” 40 And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” 41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.

Pentecost is one of the major feasts of Israel where the men of the nation had to come to Jerusalem each year to worship. As we mentioned before its name means 50. This comes from the fact that God commanded Israel to keep Pentecost 50 days after Passover (7 weeks + 1 day). This is why it is called the Feast of Weeks.

As a part of that festival they were to worship God by offering the first fruits of their harvest unto the Lord.

It also came to be the time when Israel celebrated the giving of the Law at Sinai. You might remember that when Moses came down with the tablets he found Israel sinning. The result was 3,000 men died that day.

But on the Day of Pentecost when the Spirit was poured out God was working redemption in a powerful way and testifying to the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus (Romans 8.2).

Consider the detail of God:

Pentecost was 49 days (7 Sabbaths) + 1 day. Instead of Saturday (Sabbath) it was Sunday (resurrection day).

When the Law was given 3,000 died. When the Spirit was poured out, 3,000 souls were saved.

2 Corinthians 3:6 NKJV

who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

The church was born on Pentecost Sunday with 3,000 added to the disciples. Pentecost was the time when the first fruits of the harvest were gathered and brought in to the Lord. In the same way the first harvest of souls were brought to the Lord on this day.

Jesus said that He came that we might have a superior, abundant kind of life (John 10.10). When the Spirit came life came.

Pentecost Testifies of Unity and Blessing

Acts 2:1 NKJV

When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

Jesus said that one of the hallmarks of His followers would be their love for one another (John 13.35).

homothymadon is pronounced homo-thuma-thown

While God’s people were all together with one heart and one mind. The word homothymadon is used in the New Testament to “stress inner unanimity of the community” (TDNT). This being in “one accord” is an event that must and can be repeated regularly.

While they were united in faith they were filled with the Spirit and began to speak with other tongues (Acts 2.4).

To understand what God was doing we need to look back to Genesis 11 and the building of the Tower of Babel. The whole world had one single language (Genesis 11.1). And the people together decided that they wanted to touch the heavens (it’s likely they were building a Ziggurat). The problem is that they wanted to do it without God.

Genesis 11:6 NKJV

And the Lord said, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them.

So what did God do? He confused their language.

Many years later God made a promise to His people.

Zephaniah 3:9 NKJV

“For then I will restore to the peoples a pure language, That they all may call on the name of the Lord, To serve Him with one accord.

On the Day of Pentecost God did just that…He restored to the people a pure language, a holy language, through the Holy Spirit.

And not only did He give them a pure language they were united, in one accord, seeking God. This is a reversal of Babel.

What was the concern of unity at Babel? The people would be successful at whatever they pursued. So their language was confused so that they wouldn’t be blessed in their work.

But when God’s people come together in unity, He commands blessing to come upon them (cf. Psalm 133.3).

And on Pentecost, in the midst of unity, He sent the best blessing — His very Spirit.

Pentecost Testifies of Power and Changed Lives

Psalm 62:11 NKJV

God has spoken once, Twice I have heard this: That power belongs to God.

Jesus declared that the coming of the Holy Spirit would mean that we would receive power from God (Acts 1.8).

Power to Be Witnesses

Micah 3:8 NKJV

But truly I am full of power by the Spirit of the Lord, And of justice and might, To declare to Jacob his transgression And to Israel his sin.

The Holy Spirit empowers us to do works of righteousness and to witness to the love and grace of God.

Power to Do Miracles

Acts 10:38 NKJV

how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

The power of the Spirit is dynamis - powerful, able. This power of God enables us to do good and bring healing and deliverance to others.

Pentecost testifies that It’s not our power or ability but God’s power in the Spirit enables us to change lives and make a difference (Zechariah 4.6).

Illustration: Money grab machine.

How much more should we want the true power of God?

Conclusion

We need resurrection life. We need unity and blessing. And we need power. But the question for us today is how do we get it? Is it for us?

Acts 2:38–39 NKJV

38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”

We are those who afar off.

Cornelius and Gentiles - Acts 10 - ~10 years

Ephesian believers - Acts 19 ~25 years

So then what do we do? We ask (Luke 11.13).

And God is faithful and will give us the Spirit…we will receive life, blessing, and supernatural power.

And because we receive the Spirit we will help see the kingdom come and lives transformed.