WHO WE ARE WEEK 1

WHO WE ARE (Acts 2) - February9th, 2025

Big Idea: We are empowered by the Spirit  

***LAUNCH TEAM***

God often changes paradigms in monumental moments…but then we live in the new paradigm in the moments of the seemingly mundane. 

That is exactly what we see in Acts. The Spirit comes in power, the paradigm changes, and now that same power is ours…for the mundane and every day and we miss it because we are looking for the significant or grandiose. 

BIG IDEA: We are empowered by the Spirit  

PRAY

(Verse 1)

The disciples are in the upper room waiting for the Spirit of God to be sent by the Son of God. 

Acts 2:1-2 1 When the day of Pentecost had arrived, they were all together in one place. (Remember, they were waiting for the empowering work of the Holy Spirit - why? Without the Spirit we have no power. We cannot advance the kingdom - and even though we who have believed have the Spirit of God, we are quick to operate out of our flesh rather than the Spirit.)  2 Suddenly a sound like that of a violent rushing wind came from heaven (this is not wind - but its the same word in greek that is used for Spirit - it is the coming of the Spirit - and people want to get really over-the-top about what this means. Its very simple - the Spirit’s arrival was marked by the Spirit’s sound - that’s it. Also, in a minute you’re going to see a list of people groups from the four directions on a map or globe. Thats on purpose. It is meant to convey the promise in the prophecies of people bring drawn from the four corners - often associated with four winds - the hear the gospel. This is plan and simple OT imagery being fulfilled), and it filled the whole house where they were staying.

(Verse 3)

Acts 2:3 3 They saw tongues like flames of fire that separated and rested on each one of them.

All throughout the Old Testament…from Mt. Sinai, to the burning bush, to the tabernacle, to the pillar of fire…etc…the presence of God’s Spirit is indicated by fire. 

They would have associated the presence of visible images of fire as the theological indicator that God’s Spirit no longer resides in a temple made by men and women…but now God’s temple is men and women. 

Thats it - thats what it means. When people call for “fire” of the Holy Spirit - that is a non-sensical statement theologically and biblically. It would be like being married - but when you meet someone you never introduce them to your spouse you just hold up your wedding band and say, “marriage.” Or you get home from work and and instead of talking with your spouse or experiencing their presence you take their ring and walk away saying, “marriage, love, husband, wife.” You are focusing on a symbol and ignoring the presence, the reality behind the symbol. 

(Verse 4)

Acts 2:4  4 Then they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them. 

Now - what are tongues. 

It is the million dollar question that divides so many people. Right? And it is actually VERY straightforward. 

heterais glōssais simply means they could speak languages they did not already know, but their listeners knew and understood. These were not unknown spirit languages - to argue that you have to throw out most rules of greek grammar and the basics of bible interpretation - instead what this means that Galileans (very low levels of education) could suddenly speak with great eloquence, the language of other cultures. You can know this because…

Everyone who someone speaking in their own language (V 6)

The crowd called it their own language (V 8)

They hear in their own tongue (v 11)

The purpose of the miracle of tongues is for gospel advancement among people that do not otherwise have access to the good news of the gospel.

Tongues is the miraculous ability to speak a real language that you do not natively known for the advancement and vindication of the gospel. 

(Verse 11)

Acts 2:11-13 11 Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring (preaching) the magnificent acts of God in our own tongues.” (The gospel of Jesus) 12 They were all astounded and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” (What do we do - with this message - THE GOSPEL - and the miraculous means of its preaching? They recognize this demands a response) 13 But some sneered and said, “They’re drunk on new wine.” 

Some people defend out of control behavior in some theological circles by pointing to verse 13 where it says some people thought they were drunk. 

Here is the problem - if you follow the grammatical structure of the passage - the charge of drunkenness is NOT due to how they are acting but to the message they are preaching. In other words, they are saying “The gospel sounds outrageous - they must be drunk.” 

What does this mean?

Pentecost is the reversal of the tower of babel. 

It means that the gospel is uniting what rebellion divided. 

The nations are being gathered into one nation - a new nation - the nation of priests - the kingdom of Christ. 

This is the moment where Christ’s people - indwelled by His Spirit - begin the work of demolishing the strongholds of the false gods of the nations. 

Its why we call our good news - THE GOSPEL - the ancient declaration that a king has conquered his enemies. We declare to the nations that the gods of the nations have been defeated. And Christ the king rules and reigns. 

Its the reason why the church of Christ is an outpost of the kingdom of Christ, filled with the Ambassadors of Christ. We go into the nations that have been disinherited and ruled by false gods and demonic beings and we call the nations to an inheritance in Christ. 

Its the reason why the early Christians said baptism was a pledge of allegiance to Christ the King. It was a renouncing of citizenship to the kingdoms of the world ruled by the gods of the world - it was the citizenship ritual bringing us into a better kingdom with the better king. 

This is a paradigm shift - what unifies the nation is not military conquest…it is the Spirit of Christ among the people of Christ. 

(Verse 14)

Acts 2:14-17  14 Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and proclaimed to them, “Fellow Jews and all you residents of Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and pay attention to my words. 15 For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it’s only nine in the morning. (Peter is making a joke - if we could hear it in its original context…we’d hear Peter laughing) 16 On the contrary, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: 17 And it will be in the last days, (Did you catch what Peter said? That the prophecy was fulfilled on that day - the last days have been around for two thousand years) says God, that I will pour out my Spirit on all people; then your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. (And then Peter says this about the final age of human history…..go to verse 21…)…21 Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved

Does that sound familiar? It should…look…

Romans 10:13 13 For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

Here is the point though: Peter is empowered by the Spirit…right? And what does the Spirit cause him to do? 

Bring clarity to what the Bible says about Jesus

To call people to salvation in Jesus 

In short - the work of the Spirit is to make Jesus big. 

(Verse 22)

Acts 2:22-24 22 “Fellow Israelites, listen to these words: This Jesus of Nazareth was a man attested to you by God with miracles, wonders, and signs that God did among you through him, just as you yourselves know. 23 Though he was delivered up according to God’s determined plan and foreknowledge, you used lawless people to nail him to a cross and kill him.  24 God raised him up, ending the pains of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by death.

Peter says, “You killed him....God raised him...because death couldn’t hold him.” 

The central evidence that the Spirit is at work - is that Jesus is big and we are small. That the gospel is clear and Jesus is the hero. 

(Skip to Verse 32)

Acts 2:32-33 32 “God has raised this Jesus; we are all witnesses of this. (Peter reiterates what Tim highlighted last week - we are all witnesses of Jesus - that is our primary identity) 33 Therefore, since he has been exalted to the right hand of God and has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit, he has poured out what you both see and hear.

People in our circles often downplay the importance of the ascension of Jesus back to the right hand of the Father. 

Yet, Peter tells us - it is the ascension of Jesus that actually supplies every Christian with the presence of Jesus by His Spirit. It is why Jesus told his disciples it is good that he goes away so that the Spirit can come. 

(Skip to Verse 37)

Acts 2:37-39 37 When they heard this, they were pierced to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” (a clear gospel calls for a clear response)  38 Peter replied, “Repent (turn from your sins) and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins (in the Western world we divorce baptism from salvation. And in one sense - that is right. Baptism does not save you - ask the thief on the cross. Baptism is the declaration of our salvation - it is the public pledge of allegiance to Jesus. In most of the world, for most of history, people did not believe that you had saving faith in Jesus until you were baptized - not because baptism saves you but because of what baptism costs you. Here - it costs you nothing. So, we make it largely unimportant. In most of the world, for most of history, it was seen for what it actually is - an act of spiritual warfare - the declaration that you have a new allegiance to your new king. Jesus of Nazareth. That is why the New Testament and Christian history tie a saving profession of faith to the public act of baptist), and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 

(Skip to Verse 39)

Acts 2:39 39 For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”

What does the coming of the Holy Spirit show us? 

God is with his people - they don’t go to him he comes to us

Jesus will do anything to reach sinners 

The Spirit makes Jesus big and the gospel clear 

The Spirit gives birth to the church  

(VERSE 41)

Acts 2:41 41 So those who accepted his message (believed the gospel) were baptized (and if you’re wondering what baptism means - it literally means to plunge under the water - the last first century manual on church leadership called THE DIDACHE describes baptism as plunging in the water), and that day about three thousand people were added to them.

Baptism was required to be added to their number - and they counted by the way because they practiced church membership - because you could only be part of the local church if you pledged allegiance to Jesus. 

Peter preaches about Jesus and boom. The church grows from 120 to over 3,000 people! Notice. What grew the church? Watering down the gospel? Compromising on sin? No. 

He preached the gospel! And spoiler, thats all we’ve done for eleven years. And here is the gospel.  *SHARE THE GOSPEL*

Immediately following these people professing faith in Jesus and being brought into the church…Luke describes what their lives looked like and what they valued. Here it is. This is where Redeemer gets its core values. 

(Verse 42)

Acts 2:42a 42 They devoted themselves (were committed to) to the apostles’ teaching (A spirit filled church is committed to the Bible as its supreme authority or it is not a spirit filled church. I take that back. It is filled with a spirit but not THE Spirit - any and all moments of revival or spiritual awakening throughout history or the Bible, going all the way back to the Book of Nehemiah involve a reverence, love for, submission to the Bible. Period.), 

The early church was a Bible-studying church, steadfastly, continually devoted to devouring the Word of God that came from the Apostles. - R.C. Sproul

They devoted themselves to the Apostle’s teaching…The Gospel! If you look through Acts, here is what the Apostles are teaching…THE GOSPEL!!! The first Christians loved the gospel, valued the gospel, devoted themselves to the gospel. 

Today, we have made the gospel message a mantra you repeat, a box you check on a list of beliefs, before you say some magic words to God in a prayer…and then you move on. THE GOSPEL IS NOT JUST FOR OUR SALVATION BUT ALSO OUR SANCTIFICATION!

What gives you new life? The gospel! What is your hope when you sin? The gospel! Why is there Christ honoring change in your life? The gospel! What builds a better marriage? The gospel! What changes cities? The gospel! What gives you hope when you fail? The gospel! Dear Christian, if you ever get past the gospel…you’ve missed the point of the Christian life and you’ve taken your eyes off of the only hope we have. 

If we ever lose the gospel we’ve asked Jesus to close our doors.  

(2:42b)

Acts 2:42b to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer. 

Because they were devoted to the gospel they lived their lives together. They were devoted, centered on fellowship or community.

(VERSE 43)

Acts 2:43-45  43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and signs were being performed through the apostles. 44 Now all the believers were together and held all things in common. 45 They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as any had need. 

The point is, that Christians so cared for one another that their attitude was “Whats mine is yours and whats yours is mine.” Just as you wouldn't allow a family member to go hungry, we don’t allow one another to go hungry. We give sacrificially of our resources for the good of one another. 

The rhythm of gospel community is accountability and responsibility. I am accountable to you for my good and I’m responsible for your good. THIS IS THE OPPOSITE of consumerism.

Church life in many places involves people coming to a people, a church, and asking “what can these people offer me?” Thats consumerism. Consumption without devotion is how unbelievers live.

WE treat each other like family because we are. Its why we meet needs. WE gather regularly and we serve. Thats what families do. 

This is the level of devotion we are called to have. Gospel picturing sacrifice for the good of others. 

(Verse 46)

Acts 2:46 46 Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts

They lived their lives together. They gathered in large gatherings (worship services) and they gathering in small groups. This was their rhythm. They REALLY lived like family. 

We do this by gathering here on Sundays and then gathering in Community Groups during the week…in our homes…with each other. Some groups eat meals together…others have snacks. We catch up on each others lives. We pray for one another. We find out one another’s needs. We encourage each other. We talk about how to apply the sermon to everyday life. We celebrate birthdays….we take care of one another’s kids….its real life. I love it. I look forward to it.

I want you to notice…nothing extraordinary is happening here. These people are living life together, worshipping together, hanging out together, taking care of each other. Just ordinary people, living ordinary lives, with gospel intentionality. What happens?

(Verse 47)

Acts 2:47  47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. Every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved. 

The people around them saw their devotion to the gospel and their devotion to one another. In the ancient world, people didn't care for each other like this. They still don’t. It was shocking. It was beautiful. It was attractive. 

So many people today doubt the truthfulness of the gospel because they don’t see Christians living any differently than they do. We have lost the uniqueness of the Christian life because we have so royally jacked up the Christian life, what it means to be the church, and what our identity is. 

One of my all-time favorite Christian thinkers, Francis Schaeffer, said this: “Our relationship with each other is the criterion the world uses to judge whether our message is truthful. Christian community is the ultimate apologetic.”

The ultimate evidence for the truth of the gospel? Christians, empowered by the Holy Spirit, living lives devoted to the gospel and each other. When we live devoted to the gospel and each other, We ARE living on mission. Thats why Luke could record, that God was adding to their number daily. They were ordinary people, living ordinary lives, with gospel intentionality…which IS living on mission…and God used that to change the world. 

People ask me all the time, what makes Redeemer Church so special? We are a bunch of broken, sinful people. Worse yet…the pastors of this church are broken and sinful people. 

When you live your life devoted to the gospel, you naturally live your live devoted to other believers which WILL make you a maturing believer. A maturing believer is simply a Christian who actually lives like a Christian. 

AND THAT has become a rarity in our world. As you live like a mature believer you will naturally live your life on mission which is multiplying. Which means you are fulfilling our mission: Make disciples. Plant churches.