The Spirit Poured Out

Introduction:

I grew up in a normal middle-class family in Houston. We didn’t have much but we had more than others. Our vacations were always to family or with family at the Lake or at the beach in Galveston.

I accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior at a young age and gave my life to full time service of the Lord when I was 12. I would have thoughts of grandeur about having a church one day and being used to do something amazing for God. I still have those thoughts.

In my high school years I did some things that brought guilt and shame into my life; things that I was sure would disqualify me from ministering or ever doing anything amazing for God. I kept up appearances as best I could and tried my best to live for Jesus, but the guilt and shame was eating me from the inside out. It was sabotaging my visions and dreams for the Lord. I always had the Devil whispering in my ear. “I know who you really are and what you’ve done.”

It haunted me for years: stealing my confidence and self-worth. It wasn’t until later in life that I began to remove my mask of shame and let the Lord and other begin to heal my soul and mind.

I’m afraid there are a lot of people like me. You’ve done some things your not proud of. You find yourself on an endless loop of guilt and shame: a rollercoaster ride of ups and down that you can’t get off of. And then you have shepherds and teachers telling you that God wants to use you in a mighty way but you don’t believe that. Your wondering why God hasn’t struck you down already, much less use you for something great.

I want you to hear this message this morning. That is a lie from the pits of hell. God’s mercy and grace can overcome any dark cloud of sin in your life.

You might of had your Noah moments of getting drunk and doing something stupid.

You might of had your Abraham moments of lying and hurting people around you.

You might of had your David moments of sleeping around and killing somebody to cover up your mess.

You might of had your Judas moments of selling Jesus out for your own prophet and gain.

You might of had your Peter moments of denying your master not once, not twice, but three times.

But the grace of God is just as sufficient for you as it was for them.

Noah was called a righteous man.

Abraham was called the friend of God.

David was a man after God’s own heart.

Judas was the devil incarnate. (The Devil’s going to be in there somewhere.)

Peter was given the Keys to the Kingdom.

So the question is not what can I do for the Lord?, but what are you will to let God do through you?

54 days ago Peter had denied the Lord and now being filled with the Holy Spirit he would preach the first message that would begin a world transformation not because of what he had done but what God was doing through him.

The First Spirit-Filled Message

The Audience

Acts 2:5 ESV

5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven.

Devout men of God (the upper echelon of the religious)

The Educated

The money and means to make the pilgrimage back to Jerusalem

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 Attitude

Acts 2:12–15 ESV

12 And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.” 14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. 15 For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day.

People do different things when they are presented with the works of God.

Some have a moment of discovery: “What does this mean?”

Some have a moment of dismissal: “They are filled with new wine.”

God used the simple to confound the wise

Acts 2:7 ESV

7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans?

The disciples were uneducated.

They were not people of privilege or prestige. they were from Galilee.

They had no position.

They had no jobs.

1 Corinthians 1:26–27 ESV

26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;

The Spirit takes the weak and makes them strong.

Prominence doesn’t fill you with the Spirit.

Jesus hand picked these men because of where they were from.

Riches don’t fill you with the Spirit.

Jesus warned of the hardness of a rich man’s heart.

Mark 10:25 ESV

25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”

Nobility doesn’t fill you with the Spirit.

Paul had to come to terms with his nobility and education.

Philippians 3:4–8 ESV

4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. 7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ

Weakness gives way to the Strength of the Spirit.

“When you fail to understand your weakness, you fight against the Spirit that wants to fill you.”

2 Corinthians 12:9–10 ESV

9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

“When you come to terms with your weakness, you will find strength in the Spirit.”

The Last Days Spirit-Filled Message

Acts 2:16–18 ESV

16 But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: 17 “ ‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; 18 even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.

The Start of the Last Days

God’s Spirit poured out on his sons and daughters

The context of Joel is the children of Israel.

The goal of pouring out his Spirit is that both will prophesy.

Working Definition of prophesy: “To reveal the will of God wether it be hidden, now, or in the future.”

God’s Spirit poured out on the male and female servants.

The Gentiles that became a part of the Jewish salvation.

Now, These are those grafted in to the true vine of Christ and have become sons and daughters though Christ.

The goal of pouring out his Spirit is that both would prophecy.

A Word on Complementarianism vs. Egalitarianism.

https://www.christianity.com/wiki/christian-terms/what-are-complementarianism-and-egalitarianism-what-s-the-difference.html

Complementarianism:

“Men and Women are equal in personhood and were created with God given roles. Woman was created from Man and as a help to Man. Man has a God-given responsibility of headship and therefore answers to God for his leadership both in the home and in the church.”

Women are gifted by the Holy Spirit for the work of the ministry and should use those gifts to expand God’s kingdom.

Women are not responsible for the headship given to the Man and therefore should not usurp that authority.

Men should assume there God-given role to lead and love like Christ loves the Church.

Egalitarianism:

“Men and Women are equal in personhood and there is no distinction between roles under the renewal of mankind through the gospel. Therefore, women can hold any position a man holds of responsibility and authority.”

The end of days

Acts 2:19–20 ESV

19 And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; 20 the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.

The end of this age of grace is the return of Christ.

The pouring out of God’s Spirit is in preparation for Christ return.

The Spirit is preparing the way of the Lord.

The redemptive work of salvation builds the kingdom of God.

The time of salvation

Acts 2:21 ESV

21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

The word of faith

Romans 10:8–9 ESV

8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Confess that Jesus is Lord

Believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead.

The justification of faith

Romans 10:10–13 ESV

10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”