Pentecost 2024 - Power to Produce

Theme: The Church Needs the Holy Spirit to Produce Disciples

Statistics - churches may produce more attendance, but they are lacking in world changing performance

The problems in the world are inversely proportional to the power in the church

IOW the weaker the church, the worse the world becomes

The 6 o’clock news is an indictment of the modern church’s ignorance and even refusal of the Holy Spirit’s empowerment

Problem: No growth - no power to produce., Sterile, weak, anemic

Jesus Was Spirit Filled

Jesus did not minister anywhere until He was empowered by the Holy Spirit, even at 30 years of age!

Jesus was baptized in water in the Jordan River

The heavens were opened

The Holy Spirit came down from heaven as a dove to touch Him

A sound came from heaven, confirming the Father’s approval

Only Then was Jesus led by the Spirit to minister

Jesus did not minister until the Holy Spirit came upon Him - Baptism in Jordan River

Heavens opened above

Holy Spirit descended upon

Jesus then ministered with power and effectiveness

Jesus and the Holy Spirit are partners - Rick Renner

When Jesus' earthly ministry was in operation, He and the Holy Spirit always worked together.

Jesus was conceived of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35)

Jesus was empowered by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:16)

Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 4:1)

Jesus healed people by the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:38)

Jesus cast out demons by the power of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:28)

Jesus was resurrected from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:11)

Jesus was seated at God's right hand in the heavenly places through the power of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:19,20).

Every time we see Jesus in the Gospels, He is working hand in hand with the Holy Spirit.

Jesus initiate anything by Himself, indicating His total dependence on the Spirit of God (John 5:30).

If Jesus needed this kind of ongoing partnership with the Holy Spirit to accomplish His divine role in the earth, we certainly have to have it as well!

The Early Church was Spirit Filled

Pentecost = Power to BE a Witness

Acts 1:8 NLT

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

“witness” - could not be PAST tense - the Disciples lived with Jesus for 3.5 years

Proving that even being WITH (or BESIDE) Jesus is not enough.

Jesus could only be WITH them at one place at one time.

The Holy Spirit INSIDE was necessary for Jesus - and them and us

Witness - is FUTURE tense - to SHOW and TELL what Christ has done - for MAN and for ME

How? Through the BOLD power of the Holy Spirit.

Review - People LISTENED - then mocked

Received - People SAW - hearts cut

Repented - believed and baptized, added

How do we become a true WITNESS for Christ? By Holy Spirt POWER

Acts 2:1–6 NLT

1 On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. 2 Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. 3 Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. 4 And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. 5 At that time there were devout Jews from every nation living in Jerusalem. 6 When they heard the loud noise, everyone came running, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers.

Acts 2:11 NLT

11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism), Cretans, and Arabs. And we all hear these people speaking in our own languages about the wonderful things God has done!”

120 told not to go but tarry in Jerusalem until the promise came

Father opened the heavens and said these are My beloved

Holy Spirit descended like fire

120 disciples went out in the same power as Jesus

3000 souls saved within minutes.

The Holy Spirit gives Power to CONFRONT

Acts 2:12–13 NLT

12 They stood there amazed and perplexed. “What can this mean?” they asked each other. 13 But others in the crowd ridiculed them, saying, “They’re just drunk, that’s all!”

Witnesses need power to “take the witness stand”

In a court case, the ideal witness is called a “star” witness,

Or an “eye”witness who has first-hand knowledge of the defendant’s words and actions

Or a “subject matter expert” who is clearly trained and experienced in the very area brought into question.

A witness who refuses to testify loses the case

Before Pentecost, all the disciples ran from confrontation and Peter even denied the Lord three time publicly!

But when They were Baptized in the Holy Spirit, these once timid males became bold and confident men of God!

The righteous of the Lord are as bold as a lion!

Acts 2:14–17 NLT

14 Then Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd, “Listen carefully, all of you, fellow Jews and residents of Jerusalem! Make no mistake about this. 15 These people are not drunk, as some of you are assuming. Nine o’clock in the morning is much too early for that. 16 No, what you see was predicted long ago by the prophet Joel: 17 ‘In the last days,’ God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams.

Holy Spirit gave the Church “Street Cred”

Witness = Undeniable proof.

unlearned men were with Jesus - Acts 5

The Spirit empowered the foolish men to confound the wise

These Fishermen surprised the scribes and confounded the critics

The 12 apostles publicly confronted The very ones who, only 50 days before, cried out before Pontius Pilate - “crucify Him!” and “Let His blood be in us and our children!”

Peter asserts the validity of his testimony:

Acts 2:32 NLT

32 “God raised Jesus from the dead, and we are all witnesses of this.

Acts 2:36 NLT

36 “So let everyone in Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah!”

IOW - The same Jesus who empowered us to speak in many languages is the same Jesus who was raised from the dead!

The Holy Spirit gives Power to CONVICT

by correction

The Holy Spirit convicts men of sin and the resulting judgment

John 16:8 NLT

8 And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment.

Hebrews 4:12 NLT

12 For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.

Acts 2:37 NLT

37 Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”

· Based upon the witness’s testimony, the sinner’s soul is ARRESTED, his HEART is CONVICTED and found guilty!

· The only thing left for the guilty defendant to do is to throw themselves at the mercy of the court!

Acts 2:38–39 NLT

38 Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away—all who have been called by the Lord our God.”

Our God is a holy God, but He is also a FORGIVING God!

The Holy Spirit gives Power to CONVERT

Acts 2:40–41 NLT

40 Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!” 41 Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.

The SAVING of the SOUL is the PRODUCT of the POWER!

Result? 3,000 added to the church within minutes

The early church set the bar for generations to come.

WE must be Spirit Filled

The end time church is losing the race for the souls of men.

The End time church is ineffective because we are not empowered.

Can God get a “witness” in His house today? One who is not ashamed of the Gospel, but DEFENDS the Gospel.

The same power that raised Christ from the dead dwells in us!

Let’s stop pandering to the public, and preach the Word with Pentecostal power!

Open your mouth and let God come out, and let the chips fall where they may.

Whether softly or threatening, we must always be ready to deliver God’s Word!

The world and the true church is longing for a clarion call to cut through the confusion of our contemporary culture.

We need the fear of God to shake the simple and wake those that slumber.

May the omni-potent God never have an Impotent church!