God’s Spirit: Our Source for Action

Heads Up on the Holy Spirit

In John 7, we have a story of family, and faith and promises for followers.

At the Feast of Booths (Tabernacles), Jesus began to teach in the temple, evading arrest and confounding the guards with his proclamations.

The great harvest feast celebrated with a week’s holiday in tents made of green boughs and palm fronds. It began on the 15th day of the seventh month, with a special Sabbath to open the week, following the regular Sabbath on the 14th, and a second regular Sabbath on the 21st, during the Feast, and closing with a special Sabbath on the 22nd.

This was “Camp Meeting” for the families of Israel.

Messianic Message on Mount Zion

John 7:37–38 ESV

37 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ ”

Isaiah 55:1 “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.”

Isaiah 12:3 “With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.”

With Faith Comes Hope

John 7:39 ESV

39 Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

Isaiah 44:3 “For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.”

After the Resurrection,

The Command to Wait

Acts 1:4–5 ESV

4 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

The Spirit is the Commission to Witness

Acts 1:8 ESV

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

At Pentecost, The Wait is Over

Pentecost is the one-day feast of first-fruits. It means “fiftieth” and is from the command in Lev 23:16 “16 You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath. Then you shall present a grain offering of new grain to the Lord.”

So, seven Sabbaths after Passover, on the first day of the week, the 50th day, Jerusalem was filled with those who came to offer the first-fruit offerings of the spring harvest before the Lord.

An Indoor Wind of Spirit

Acts 2:1–2 ESV

1 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.

The Baptism of Fire and Spirit

Acts 2:3 ESV

3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them.

The Gift of Tongues

Acts 2:4 ESV

4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

The Gift of Hearing

Acts 2:5–6 ESV

5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language.

This event wasn’t about prayer language, This was

Proclamation Language

The Wake-up call to Listen

Acts 2:7–8 ESV

7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language?

More Than 12 Languages Understood

Acts 2:9–11 ESV

9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.”

The Key Question:

Acts 2:12 ESV

12 And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?”

The Spirit Gives Power

1 Corinthians 12:4–6 ESV

4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.

The Spirit Gives Purpose

1 Corinthians 12:7 ESV

7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

The Spirit: Our Source for Action

1 Corinthians 12:11 ESV

11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.