Are you filled with the Holy Spirit?
Notes
Transcript
Acts 2:1–4 (NIV84)
The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost
2 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. (Mark 16:17)
Adrian Rogers told a story in his sermon “The principals of Pentecost.”
A woman had taken a course in First Aid. She was so thrilled that she had taken this First Aid course, because, when she went back to her study group, they were having testimonials. She said, let me tell you what happened to me. Out in front of my very own home, there was a horrible automobile accident. An elderly man driving an automobile lost control, went over the curbing, hit head-on into an oak tree. He was thrown out of the automobile onto the ground; his head was crushed like an eggshell. His eyes were rolling around in pools of blood. He was pumping out his life’s blood on the asphalt there. It was terrible, horrible. But she said, “I was the first one on the scene. I remembered my First Aid. I remembered if I would put my head between my knees, I would not faint.
That’s the way the church is today—in a world of sorrow and pain and anguish and trouble, going around with its head between its knees, saying, I’m so glad I’m a Christian.
Introduction
Last week we looked at acts chapter 1:15-26, and the title of the sermon last week was selecting an apostle. I talked to you about how Peter stood up among the believers and there were 120 of them. Peter said brothers the scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus vs 17, he (Judas) was one of our number and shared in this ministry.
Then I talked about how just the mention of a name can bring up different thoughts. Like when we mentioned the name Judas, Judas is associated with treachery, lying, conniving, and deceiving. In 1:21-22, Peter gave the qualifications about what it took to be an apostle.
Then I closed with the passage in verse 24 where the apostles prayed Lord, you know everyone's heart. They were choosing between two men Joseph, called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias. Both of these men had the qualifications to be the 12th apostle. To take Judas’ spot.
Today I want to pick up in chapter 2:1-4, again the disciples are in one place. In verse 2 it says that suddenly a sound like that of a violent rushing wind came from heaven and it filled the whole house where they were staying.
Acts 7:47
but it was Solomon who built him a house.
If you have your bibles and I hope you do, please turn with me to acts chapter 2 we'll be looking at verses 1-4.
Acts 2:1–4 (NIV84)
The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost
2 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. (Mark 16:17)
Point I
Rushing wind.
Suddenly, unexpectedly, abruptly—not like a flood, where the river rises and slowly leaves its banks; not like a hurricane building strength over the waters; but like a sudden, jolting earthquake—a noise shook the house.
1. Chuck Swindoll says in his commentary on acts, it was “like a violent rushing wind” (2:2), “a sound we might compare with standing next to a 747 at takeoff.”
2. Luke didn’t say “a wind blew through”; he describes it as a noise.
3. The curtains didn’t blow. They felt no current or movement of air.
4. In the ordinary environment of a house, a deafening roar came from above.
5. Luke identifies the source as heaven.[1] “Came from heaven.”
Point II
Tongues of Fire.
An amazing sight accompanied the sound: “Tongues of fire” peeled off to form individual ribbons of blazing flames.
1. Luke had seen lightning before, so he could have referred to that.
Jesus said in
Luke 10:18
18 He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
NIV
And
Luke 17:24
24 For the Son of Man in his day will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other.
NIV,
a. but he chose “fire” instead.
2. Perhaps it looked like the light of God’s fiery glory, which later Judaism came to call the shekinah.
a. This “fire” always appeared when God wanted His presence known.
b. He caused a bush in the Midian wilderness to burst into flames, yet the fire did not consume it as a normal blaze would have (Exod. 3:1–3).
c. This fiery glow led the Israelites as a pillar (Exod. 13:21–22).
d. The shekinah covered the summit of Mount Sinai before the people of Israel (Exod. 19:18; 24:17).
e. And behind the thick tapestry partition in the temple, this “fire” resided above the ark of the covenant in the most holy place (Exod. 25:22; Lev. 16:2).
3. Jews familiar with the Scriptures would have identified the “fire” as the holy light of God’s presence.
4. Luke describes the energy as coming from “tongues” (plural) like fire, a blazing substance dividing and distributing itself into one stream per individual.
5. Unlike a lightning strike, the flames came to rest on each person.
a. I imagine that the image remained in place long enough for each person to look around and see that everyonein the group received the same flaming power, the same gift of the Holy Spirit.
b. Each received the same empowerment.
c. No one was left out.[2]
Point III
Speaking in different languages.
The gathered believers heardsomething, they saw something, and—now the most familiar and misunderstood phenomenon—they said something.
1. Just as they had been promised by John the Baptist, their water baptism had been followed by their baptism with “the Holy Spirit and fire” (Matt. 3:11; Luke 3:16).
a. They received divine power, and that power accomplished the impossible.
b. The believers had been told they would “receive power when the Holy Spirit [had] come upon” them, resulting in their becoming Jesus’ witnesses (Acts 1:8).
c. They began to speak in other languages as the Spirit gave them ability.
2. The NASB rendering of this key phrase is “began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance,”.
a. “Began to speak” indicates that the believers received an ability that would continue after this event.
i. Luke uses this phrase in much the same way we might say a small child “began to walk”: not only at that moment, but from then on.
b. “With other tongues” refers to other languages.
i. Some claim these followers spoke in a “heavenly language” known only to God and angels, a kind of supernatural communication that sounds like gibberish to human ears yet holds meaning in the spirit realm.
ii. Charismatic groups practice this today and call it “speaking in tongues.”
iii. Several factors in the text, however, do not point to a “heavenly language” but rather to human languages.
c. First, the Greek words for “other” and “tongues” are plural.
i. Moreover, the term rendered “other” is heteros [2087], indicating that the languages were different from one another.
ii. The word “various” would be appropriate.
iii. The phrase indicates that the people spoke in more than one actual language, not one “heavenly language.”
iv. And let’s face it—the idea of heaven having more than one language simply doesn’t make sense.
v. Long before this, God had confounded human communication on earth (Gen. 11:7), not among the angels in the spirit realm.
d. Second, the practice of incomprehensible ecstatic speech known today as “speaking in tongues” has a long history in pagan religion.
i. Various sects and cults had practiced a form of “ecstatic utterance” for centuries, both as a frenzied emotional expression and a seemingly rational form of communication.
ii. If these Christians had “spoken in tongues” in the ecstatic manner seen today, their behavior would not have been regarded by onlookers as a special, unique, miraculous gift of God.
iii. Because they were hearing them in their own languages.
e. Third, the following verses clearly indicate the ability of spectators to hear their native languages spoken.
i. The term translated “language” in Acts 2:6is dialektos [1258], from which we derive our term “dialect.”
3. “As the Spirit was giving them utterance” indicates that the disciples didn’t instantaneously acquire another language, suddenly becoming bilingual.
a. This was a supernatural ability given by the Spirit, presumably to empower the believers to fulfill the Lord’s promise that they would be His witnesses (1:8).
b. This strongly suggests that each person was able not only to speak in another language but was also given the thoughts to express the message eloquently.[3]
Conclusion:
Let me ask a question as we conclude.
What does this mean for us today?
Again, Chuck Swindoll says in his commentary; “Finally, we must remember, the “speaking in tongues” described in Acts 2 produced a number of human languages that could be understood by people from other nations; it was an effective evangelistic tool, not some kind of heavenly language unintelligible on earth. Therefore, if we want to use speaking in tongues as an indicator of salvation or a measure of godliness, no one today passes the test![4]”
1. You see we are told in Romans 3:10
Rom 3:10
10 As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one.
NIV
2. And then in Romans 3:23
That we all are sinners, you, me, all means all.
Rom 3:23
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
NIV
Church members, I’m going to start with you; are you filled with the Holy Spirit?
Are you filled with the Holy Spirit of God? I’m asking you: are you consciously, conspicuously filled with the Spirit of God? If not, you’re not just missing a blessing; you’re guilty of rebellion and sin.
We’ll talk more about how to be filled with the Holy Spirit of God. I’m not talking about wildfire; I’m talking about spiritual reality, without which we will not reach this world. Aren’t you tired of playing church?
How could so many people be in this one town, and surrounding areas, and we are not making more of a difference than we’re making?
Second question I want to ask:
To those of you who are not certain of your salvation, are you certain you’re not saved?
Have you repented? Have you put your sins on Jesus, or are you still carrying them? Men and brothers, woman and sisters what must we do to be saved? Repent. When you repent, you turn from sin to Jesus. I’m not asking you, Are you a church member, a Baptist? Is Christ real to you? If you died right now, would you go to heaven? Are you certain of it?
Heads are bowed and eyes are closed; no one stirring, no one moving. If you are
already saved, begin to pray for those around you who may not be saved, and if
you want to be saved, I’m going to lead you in a prayer, and in this prayer, you can ask
Jesus Christ to save you. Now, it’s the prayer I’m leading, but it won’t do any good if it’s
my prayer—it must be your prayer. Would you pray like this?
Dear God, I am a sinner, and I’m lost, and I need to be saved, and I want to be saved. Jesus, you died to save me, and you promised to save me, if I would trust you. I do trust you now, right now, I receive you into my heart, as my Lord and Savior. Forgive my sin. Cleanse me. Save me, Lord Jesus. Pray it in faith.
Did you ask Him? Then pray this way: Thank you for doing it, Jesus. I receive it by faith, and that settles it.
You are now my Lord, my Savior, my God, and my friend. Now, Lord Jesus, I will not be ashamed of you. I will make it public, if You will just give me the strength, and I’ll do it today. In your name I pray.
Amen.
I’m going to be up here, I’m going to ask if you made a decision to follow Jesus today will you share that decision with us today. Let us know by just coming forward this morning. If you are uncomfortable doing this, would you just let me know after the service. We would like to be praying for you. We want to support you in this decision.
Adrian Rogers
[1]Charles R. Swindoll, Acts, Swindoll’s Living Insights New Testament Commentary (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2016), 35.
[2]Charles R. Swindoll, Acts, Swindoll’s Living Insights New Testament Commentary (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2016), 35–36.
[3]Charles R. Swindoll, Acts, Swindoll’s Living Insights New Testament Commentary (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2016), 36–37.
[4]Charles R. Swindoll, Acts, Swindoll’s Living Insights New Testament Commentary (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2016), 41.
