Acts III: Acts 2:1-13 The Equipping of the Church

Nick Lotter

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Acts 2:1–13 ESV

When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”

Introduction

Acts 1:8 ESV

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.”

This verse is what the book of Acts is all about

It is the church on mission - but it is more than that.

It is Jesus on mission - the continuing acts of Jesus in these last days.

It is Jesus at work in the world through the church, equipping the church with power through the infilling of the Holy Spirit, so that we can be His witnesses to the ends of the earth.

As I have said over the past 2 weeks, what we see throughout Acts is the fulfillment of that mission.

Ch 1-7 - the spread of the gospel in Jerusalem.

Ch 8 onwards the spread of the gospel into Judea and Samaria, and then further afield into Rome and the Gentile territories...

… and it continues to go out into all the world through us, who are the Church today.

The mission is the same - it continues through us. The Church today is part of this epic story.

And just as Jesus was working in the Church then, so also He is working today in the world through us.

So when we read the book of Acts, we have to keep this mission and Jesus’ work in the church to bring this mission to fulfillment in mind.

We must understand what happens in the narrative story throughout Acts in light of that mission.

Today we are looking at the fulfillment of what Jesus had been promising would happen, and the first part of his instruction in verse 8....

It is what the disciples have been spending the last 10 days since Jesus Ascension praying for in the Upper Room.

It is the coming of the Holy Spirit to give them power and equip them to fulfill Jesus commandment to be His witnesses.

This event has stirred up some division, and there are entire denominations and divisions that came about as a result of differing interpretations of this event.

So it is particularly important for us as to study this passage very carefully.

We must now put aside every existing opinion that we have already formed about Pentecost, and approach this text now with a blank page and decide to believe only that which the Scripture is saying.

Note: I am not asking you to come to the text with a blank mind and to stop thinking and believe blindly what I tell you - quite the opposite -

To study

I am asking you to simply lay aside your biases, your pre-conceived convictions and ideas, and to think - to study - to carefully consider what the Scripture is plainly saying.

Much of the division and different denominations have come about not because this passage is unclear or ambiguous -

but because people have tried to read into the text something which isn’t there, and are hearing it say things it doesn’t say, and they are hearing it through a filter of what others are saying it says

Today, we only want to hear from the Holy Spirit.

Today we only want to believe what the Scripture says, and we want to have our minds and our hearts formed and renewed by God’s Word.

So let’s take a careful look at the narrative to see what unfolded.

1. The Baptism of the Spirit

The Day - setting / background

Acts 2:1 ESV

When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place.

Pentecost

one of 3 main Jewish festivals

Pentecost

Passover

Tabernacles

Pentecost

Pentecost held 50 days after Passover

Pente - is the root for fifty

The biggest and most well attended Jewish festival

Jews from all over the world came to celebrate

Originally celebrated the conclusion of the barley harvest

- the first cuttings of the harvest baked into bread and offered in the temple

Later: commemorated the giving of the Law on Mnt Sinai - also about 50 days after Passover (Exodus)

Pentecost is about fulfillment, completion and finality

What does it represent?

Old Covenant

completion of the harvest

the fulfullment of God’s promise to redeem Israel from captivity

The giving of the Law to Israel as God’s people

Now,under the New Covenant...

God has come to write His law on our hearts

The outpouring of the Spirit as promised by Jesus and by God in OT

Fitting for this to be fulfilled on Pentecost

God’s promises fulfilled and birth of the Church

Who is “they?”

A foretaste of what is to come

It can only be referring to the same people Luke was speaking of in the previous chapter

Verse 15 Luke says the company was 120

There is nothing here to suggest that the people sitting together here are only the 12 apostles

The Holy Spirit didn’t only come on the leaders - He comes on all believers

The Manifestations

Acts 2:2–3 ESV

And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them.

Coming of the Spirit associated with the sight of something like fire, and the sound of something like wind

Not actual wind and fire - a sound like a mighty wind. Divided tongues as of fire.

must have been difficult to translate into words

This what not something that can be explained naturally

Where did these manifestations come from? They came from heaven

Sight of fire

God appeared to Moses in the form of a burning bush

God led Israel by a pillar of fire out of Egypt and into the promised land

The fire represents both the light of God’ holiness - and the heat of his entjudgem

God appeared to Moses in fire on Mont Sinai

Sound of wind

God appeared and spoke to Job in a whirlwind (, )

, Ezekiel describes his vision of the glory of the Lord as follows: “As I looked, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, and a great cloud, with brightness around it, and fire flashing forth continually, and in the midst of the fire, as it were gleaming metal.”

Ezekiel 1:4 ESV

As I looked, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, and a great cloud, with brightness around it, and fire flashing forth continually, and in the midst of the fire, as it were gleaming metal.

speaks of God coming to His people in the form of a wind, breathing life into His people

In verses 9-10 “Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.

Ezekiel 37:9–10 ESV

Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.

Verses 13-14 explain And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live

Eze

Ezekiel 37:13–14 ESV

And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. 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.”

Eze 37:

Jesus spoke of the Spirit coming as a wind in “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

These physical manifestations (fire and wind) clearly indicate a visit from God & fulfillment of the promises

John 3:8 ESV

The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

John had promised this would happen in “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.

Here is that promise fulfilled, and also ...

Jesus promise in 1:8 fulfilled

One marked difference between OT and what is happening here

In the OT the fire and the wind came to a people - a community

Here the wind has come and the fire is seen resting on each individual Christian

Luke 3:16 ESV

John answered them all, saying, “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.

John

Ezekiel 37:13–14 ESV

Sights - fire - presence of God

Sounds - wind, tongues

The Miracle

Acts 2:4–6 ESV

And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language.

Acts 2:4–5 ESV

There was another sound that indicated something supernatural was happening: 120 people taking to the streets and speaking in other tongues

What is this manifestation? What is actually happening here?

What can we see in the text?

Are we seeing lessons? Repetition of syllables?

“they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

What are the tongues that are being referred to?

Is this some form of unintelligible babble?

Unheard of heavenly language maybe?

What is Luke actually saying?

Notice that Luke says they are speaking in other tongues - other languages

The word is synonymous with the word for language used in verse 6

Not a singular language like a heavenly language

Other languages

What kind of languages?

We must take careful consideration of everything Luke says

He doesn’t waste words

Verse 5 - “There were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven.”

That’s important - we will come back to that

“… from every nation under heaven.”

Why does Luke mention that?

Remember - Pentecost - biggest feast

Jews from all over Europe and Asia

What is their response? - verse 6 “and they were bewildered because each one was hearing them speak in his own language.”

Jews from Italy - France - Egypt - what languages do they speak?

120 Christians speaking other languages - and these languages are known to their hearers

Each one was hearing them speak in his own language

What is their response to it?

Verse 7 “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans?”

Translation - hillbillies

Verse 8 “And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language”

Luke even makes a list now of all the different nations that they come from - people of varying languages

Summary

This was not some repetition of syllables

This wasn’t rehearsed or taught, or caught

This wasn’t a singular, heavenly or angelic language

This was a filling of the Holy Spirit - who then supernaturally gave them the ability to speak known languages

Why?

To impress?

To show others they are spiritual?

To prove that they had the Holy Spirit?

What were they saying?

REMEMBER: What is the reason Jesus said they would receive the Holy Spirit?

So that they would have power to be his witnesses - not just in Jerusalem, but in Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth

The power has come, and they are now bearing witness

Verse 11 - “we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God”

They are preaching the gospel - telling of all that Jesus has done in his life, death and resurrection

THAT IS THE POINT - that is why - so that they can be witnesses

The best missionary is the Bible in your own language

So what is being witnessed here, really, is the fulfillment of God’s promise to pour our His Spirit on all His people

He reveals hims

It is the fulfillment of Jesus promise that they would be baptized with the Spirit, and that they would receive power to be His witnesses

And it is the beginning of the fulfillment of the great commission - To be his witnesses to the ends of the earth - and we are part of that mission

devout men from all nations - proselytes and Jews

spoke different languages

120 people speaking different languages

known languages - dialect

The best missionary is the bible in your own language

being fulfilled on the day of Pentecost - fulfillment!

The Reaction

Acts 2:6–7 ESV

And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans?

Acts 2:12–13 ESV

And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”

Acts 2:4-6

2. The Baptism of the Spirit Today

Is there a baptism of the Holy Spirit today?

Yes!

Acts 2:38–39 ESV

And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”

Ephesians 1:13–14 ESV

In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Acts 2:38

Should we expect a Pentecost experience today - a second, post conversion baptism of the Holy Spirit?

No.

Ephesians 1:13–14 ESV

We were baptised with the Holy Spirit when we heard the gospel, and believed in Jesus Christ. Paul says when you believed, you received the Spirit

The Pentecost experience was a once-off, supernatural event marking the fulfillment of OT prophecy and the promises of Jesus that He would send the Holy Spirit after He ascended.

We tell people of the birth and incarnation of Jesus Christ, but we don’t expect Jesus to be born again

We tell people of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sin, but we know that He does not have to die again and rise again to forgive us each time we sin - it was a once and for all fulfillment of what Jesus came to do.

The supernatural event at Pentecost and the Spirit coming on these people in such a supernatural way was likewise a once-off event.

Just because these Christians received the baptism of the Spirit some time after they believed, doesn’t mean it is normal for us to have the same post-conversion experience.

Rather, we see Peter preaching later in the chapter that all who repent and are baptized will also receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Although there is only one baptism of the Holy Spirit (when we are converted), we do need to be constantly filled and filled and filled again with the Holy Spirit.

Numerous times in Acts we will see that Luke says the apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit

Paul also tells the Christians in Ephesus (they already had the Holy Spirit) to “be filled with the Spirit

Interesting - every occasion in Acts where Luke says the apostles were “filled with the Spirit”, it was when they were busy witnessing about Jesus.

Ephesians 5:18 ESV

And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,

Here in , when the Christians received the Holy Spirit, they stopped sitting in the upper room and hit the streets, and started proclaiming the gospel as the Spirit gave them words

Ephesians 5:18–19 ESV

And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart,

So many Christians today complain and are worried that they have never experienced a supernatural filling of the Holy Spirit and they are anxious to experience the supernatural - even concerned they aren’t saved because they haven’t experienced it

But its probably because you are still sitting in the room and waiting

You need to get out and hit the streets (so to speak)

If you want to experience the power of the Holy Spirit and his supernatural help - you gotta go and start doing what Jesus told us he was going to give us the Holy Spirit for

Go and be His witness!

I was sitting here on the church steps one Tuesday (soup kitchen)

life was destroyed by drug and alcohol addiction

Family, friends cast him aside - living on the street

Where were his alcohol and drug addict friends now?

Sin promises so much but delivers only misery and death

I was praying silently - Lord give me the words

I noticed he had poetry - I felt I had to ask him to show me some of his poetry

- “Nothing I do is good enough”

Ah man that’s it - you’ve been trying to fix your life and fix your addictions in your own strength

You can’t - there’s only one who can make you whole again - His name is Jesus

He is still a Christian as far as I know

I can only describe that as the Holy Spirit giving me utterance and showing me what to say and do

We will all get to experience the filling of the Holy Spirit and His supernatural power when we are doing what Jesus has called us to do - to be His witnesses

Maybe you’re asking “How can I receive this?”

John 7:37–39 ESV

On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ ” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

John

John 7:37–38 ESV

Luke 3:16 ESV

John 7:

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