Declaring the Wonders of God

Introduction

I’m going to start off this morning going right to God’s word. If you have your Bibles, or on your devices, would you turn to Acts 2:1-13. If you are able and/or willing, would you stand with me as I read God’s word.

Acts 2:1–13 NIV

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?” Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”

Let’s pray. Amen. You may be seated.

Stories

If you have any sort of social media, you are familiar with these things called “reels”

You can find yourself scrolling through reels for quite a long time. I love them. If I have a time where I’m winding down, I don’t want to engage a tv show or other program, reels offer me short tidbits of interactions with content creators that encourage me, make me laugh, challenge me, inspire me, move me to tears, and find these experiences with people that connect to my own.

There are several reasons as to why this speaks to us:

Inspiration and Hope: Such stories often inspire hope by showing that incredible things are possible, even in seemingly impossible situations. They remind us that challenges can be overcome, fostering a belief that good things can happen even in the direst circumstances.

Empathy and Connection: These stories often highlight the resilience, strength, and perseverance of individuals. This can create a sense of empathy and connection, as we relate to their struggles and triumphs, feeling a shared human experience.

Motivation: Witnessing others achieve the extraordinary can motivate us to pursue our own goals and dreams, encouraging us to push through difficulties and remain determined despite obstacles.

Perspective: Stories of overcoming great odds can provide perspective on our own challenges. They can make our problems seem more manageable in comparison, helping us to appreciate our own strengths and resources.

Positive Emotions: Miraculous stories and tales of overcoming adversity often evoke positive emotions such as joy, admiration, and gratitude. These emotions can improve our overall mood and well-being.

Faith and Spirituality: For many, miraculous stories resonate on a spiritual level, reinforcing their faith or belief in a higher power. This can provide comfort and a sense of purpose.

Role Models: These stories often feature individuals who serve as role models, demonstrating qualities such as courage, determination, and resilience. Learning about their journeys can provide valuable lessons and examples to follow in our own lives.

Stories to God’s Saving Grace

Like Jesus turning water into wine, so the stories we share can be God’s saving grace in the lives of others.

The people in Acts 2 heard them declaring the wonders of God in their own tongue.

Encouragement for the follower of Jesus

Hope for the seeker

A testimony to the cosmos about the holiness, goodness, and majesty of God

The stories of God's work in our lives have the power to bring about profound change. These testimonies of His grace, mercy, and miracles can serve as a beacon of hope and faith. As we share how God has moved in our lives, others can witness His love and power, leading them to a saving relationship with Him. Just as Jesus performed miracles to reveal His divine nature, our stories can reveal God's presence and draw hearts to His saving grace.

Jerusalem

This is what happened in the upper room that day as the Holy Spirit fell upon the faithful there. The church was born.

It was the Holy Spirit promised in Acts 1:8 which they needed to have the power in order to be God’s witness. This is still true today. We invite the Holy Spirit to empower us, to come upon us in ways that give us the boldness and the words to say in order to be a witness to the work of God in our homes, work places, and play spaces.

In Acts 2 they hear the wonders of God in their own tongues.

(maybe open mic)

Why their own tongues? Back in Genesis 11, humanity was of one language. Rather than going and filling the Earth (as God commanded) they huddled together and said we’re staying here and we’re making a name for ourselves.

Genesis 11:6 “The Lord said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them.”

God confused their language and born was the different languages through out the centuries.

On February 19 of this year, Preston Sprinkle in his podcast, Theology in the Raw had on his show Christopher Lind. He is a Tech Analyst and Industry Advisor and Chief Learning Officer at ChenMed (provides medical care for Seniors). He tells a story of a friend who was addicted to AI. A person he knew had an AI app called Companion to combat loneliness. The app, designed to emulate human interaction, responds to user's queries and provides desired responses. However, this friend fell in love with the AI, leading to a rapid, destructive spiral. This situation wasn't purely the fault of AI, but rather, it highlighted how fulfilling all desires without restraint can lead to self-destruction.

Without restraint, without boundaries, without the pushback and left to our own devices, we do not create good things for the world.

50 days after the Exodus of Egypt, Moses comes down from Mt. Sinai with the law of God. Those who rebelled and died that day were 3000 people. God met them in a pillar of fire by day and a pillar of smoke by night.

50 days after the Resurrection of Christ from the dead we see the Holy Spirit fall. Where God wrote the law on tablets of stone, He was now writing it on the tablets of mens hearts. Where there was a pillar of fire over the tent of meeting, now there was fire on the heads of those in the church signifying the new temple in which people would encounter God, the church. Where as there are multiple languages, the gospel would be a unifying factor in all the world, bringing people to a reconciliatory saving relationship with their God and Creator. 3000 souls would be saved that day.

God-fearing Jews

God was at work. They had a desire to know God.

This is helpful in our evangelism. I know that word can be intimidating, but church this is our commission. It is the making of disciples through the good news of the gospel (evangelism = declaring good news). Sometimes its just sharing our lives with folks so they can taste and see that God is good through our lives.

Being good neighbors. Being good employers. Being the type of people that look for ways to do the extra things that mean so much to people.

It means spending time with people, inviting them into your lives and letting them invite you into theirs.

Jesus was invited to parties. Jesus was invited to weddings. Jesus was invited into people’s homes. Be like Jesus.

Prayer: Be in prayer for the people around you. Those you work with. Those you hang with. Those you live with. Be in prayer and watch what God won’t do when you are being purposeful in your relationships with them.

Need to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.””

This can’t be disconnected from our witness. We pray, we ask, and we walk in faith. We see evidence of the Holy Spirit in our lives over time… Galatians 5:22–23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”