The Holy Spirit Difference

This morning we are going to talk about the Holy Spirit and the day of Pentecost.

We see that on the day of Pentecost was the beginning of something explosive, powerful, and History Changing. Pentecost was truly something amazing.

Jesus told the disciples in Acts chapter 1 to wait…

This was after Jesus’ resurrection HE spent 40 days teaching about HIS Kingdom and then Jesus ascended into heaven.

While he was speaking to the 120 believers who were gathered in the upper room waiting, praying, and preparing for this moment.

Jesus’ final words before HIS ascension.

Acts 1:4–5 (NLT)

4 Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. 5 John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

Jesus commanded HIS disciples to wait in Jerusalem.

Not to worry about the future kingdom of Israel… Jesus said that it’s not your job to know the times or seasons that the Father has firmly fixed in the HIS hands.

Don’t concern yourself with future plans and promises that God will unfold in HIS timing.

Jesus said, trust me and wait to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Because when you are filled with the Holy Spirit…

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.”

Pentecost is one day that we celebrate… that we remember but Pentecost has never ended because our mission still remains unfinished… Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

We need the Holy Spirit to empower HIS church today… just like the church 2000 years ago needed the Holy Spirit to bring life, boldness, a fire that cannot be contained, a love for Jesus and a desire to fearlessly share HIS Gospel.

… just like when the New Testament Church was born at Pentecost.

The early church exploded under the power of the Holy Spirit; they saw incredible growth, mighty miracles, great boldness, signs and wonders, unity, a sacrificial love like never seen before.

It all started with was the 120 who were in the upper room praying, waiting on God, believing Jesus’ promised Holy Spirit Baptism would fill them but they had to wait.

And then after the waiting in Acts Chapter 2.

Acts 2:1–4 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. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

PRAY

Why is Pentecost so important?

This wasn’t the first Pentecost the Jews celebrated.

The day of Pentecost is an OT feast, an annual feast celebrated 50 days after Passover.

The word “Pentecost” means “fifty” and originally it was called the Feast of the firstfruits which recognized the firstfruits of the grain harvest.

In Acts Chapter 2, on this Day of Pentecost, on this Feast of the “firstfruits,” the church grew from 120 to over three thousand in one day.

Also those who celebrate the day of Pentecost came from different nations speaking different languages and they to heard of the wonders of God in their own language. Many were baptized in the Holy Spirit that day and took the message they heard back in their home countries.

So, what’s the Holy Spirit difference?

The Holy Spirit came on Pentecost to…

Empower believers to fulfill God’s purpose.

They were all together in one place on the day of Pentecost and suddenly, from heaven came a sound of a rushing wind that filled the entire room. Then the appearance of tongues of fire came and rested on each individual person present.

Why tongues of fire?

It may be that “tongues” symbolized speech and the communication of the gospel.

“Fire” symbolizes the purifying presence of God that burns away sin and makes us holy.

That “Fire” ignites our hearts and sets them ablaze so we can ignite the lives of others.

On Mount Sinai God confirmed the validity of the Old Testament law with fire from heaven.

At Pentecost, God confirmed the validity of the Holy Spirit’s ministry by sending fire.

At Mount Sinai, fire had come down on one place…

At Pentecost, fire came down on many believers, thus confirming God’s presence is now available to all who believe in HIM.

Pentecost was the fulfillment of what John the Baptist said.

Luke 3:16 (ESV)

16 “I baptize you with water, but HE who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Every believer in the room who waited on the Lord received this blessing; no one was excluded.

Acts 2:3–4 ESV

3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

God was a work in all who were present that in the upper room. However, this Holy Spirit baptism could not be contained to just the upper room.

The sound, the fire, the tongues, the shaking, and the wind got the attention of those on the outside. These are people from other nations, other cultures, other locations and languages.

The Holy Spirit came on Pentecost to empower believers to fulfill God’s purpose.

The Holy Spirit came on Pentecost to

Equip believers to spread the Gospel all over the world.

The Holy Spirit’s infilling provided the mechanism to take the Gospel all over the world. This fire began to spread and nothing could contain what the Holy Spirit started.

Acts 2:5–8 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. 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?

These people literally spoke in “other languages” — this international crowd who gathered in town for a feast but witnessed a miracle. They heard the wonders of God spoken in their native language.

This gathering of the nations was a perfect platform for launching the worldwide mission of the church.

This was God’s intent, to spread the gospel, the good news to all the nations in their own languages.

The day of Pentecost for the church became the fulfillment of Ezekiel’s valley of dry bones prophecy in Ezekiel 37.

Ezekiel 37:11–14 (ESV)

11 Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.’ 12 Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel.

13 And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. 14 And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the Lord.”

Jews believed that spoken prophecy had ceased with the book of Malachi. They believed that from that point on, God spoke through the Torah as interpreted by scholars and teachers.

Pentecost became the start of of God speaking new life into dead, dry, religious bones. God was breathing HIS life into HIS people as HE baptized them in the Holy Spirit.

People came from all over the Roman Empire…

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.”

Jews came to Jerusalem—some living in Palestine and others who had been dispersed throughout the world through captivities and persecutions.

Very likely, some of the Jews who responded to Peter’s message then returned to their homelands with God’s good news of salvation.

Throughout the book of Acts we see when Paul and other messengers went to the Gentiles many already became believers on the day of Pentecost.

(Vs. 11) What did these people hear in their own languages?

It wasn’t about sin, repentance, judgment, not even the gospel, but rather the proclamation of the mighty works of God.

On the first occurrence of “tongues” in the Bible, the major purpose was to get the message of Christ out to the world.

This was a sign for unbelieving Israel that the Messiah had come.

This was also an effective sign for the spreading of the gospel message in an instant.

A Spirit-given message in a foreign language that spoke of the glorious news of God’s work to a world-wide audience. Isn’t that exactly the point of Pentecost.

When that happened, God delivered his message to the world.

Pentecost became the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy and the mission of Jesus is now entrusted to HIS church by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit Difference… to Equip believers to spread the Gospel globally.

The Holy Spirit came on Pentecost to…

Embolden believers to speak with love and Wisdom.

The crowd was confused. Some were amazed, some were perplexed, some were even mocking.

Acts 2:12–13 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.”

The crowd was trying to figure out what was happening. Even though some were mocking even accusing the believers of being drunk.

This confusion was drawing the wrong conclusions so Peter had to clear things up and that’s where the Holy Spirit came in. Peter had supernatural boldness and discernment on how to navigate the onlookers.

We will always have to deal with difficult people who misunderstand the way God works. Those who mock it or question its integrity.

As believers we can choose to be angry and be combative. We can choose to worry and respond in fear.

Or… we can be filled with the Holy Spirit and respond like Peter. Relying on the Holy Spirit’s power and seizing the opportunity to tell the watching world about the work of God in their midst.

As the crowds gathered they recognized that something supernatural has taking place and they wanted an explanation.

At this point Peter stepped forward and explained the truth about God. This should be the pattern in our lives as well. We must be ready in season and out of season but in order to be ready, we must be filled with the Holy Spirit.

1 Peter 3:15 (ESV)

15 Always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.

The end of the Acts Chapter 2 we see that Peter’s bold and clear message resulted in 3000 being added to the church that day.

That’s the Holy Spirit difference.

Peter was prideful, overconfident, denied Jesus 3 times, Jesus restored Peter after HIS resurrection, and then Peter waited with the 120 as Jesus commanded them to do.

It’s the Holy Spirit difference that effected Peter. It’s the Holy Spirit that filled, empowered, and equipped the 120, and now it’s the Holy Spirit that effected the crowd who heard a clear presentation of the Gospel under the influence of the Holy Spirit.

Pentecost is all about the church being baptized in the Holy Spirit to fulfill Jesus’ mission and HIS Kingdom here on earth.

We can have the Holy Spirit difference every day as HE…

Empowers believers to fulfill God’s purpose.

Equips believers to spread the Gospel globally.

Emboldens believers to speak with love and wisdom to a hopeless and confused world.

How do we receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit?

Ask God through prayer.

Don’t stop seeking God, keep waiting on the Lord.

God’s will is that every believer is baptized in the Holy Spirit.