The Church Empowered

Mark - doubted that truths about God could be known - but stated that one of the things that brought him to faith was what he found in the chapter that we are studying today.

What was it about this chapter? It was the profound change that he witnessed in these people - just weeks earlier, they had scattered at the arrest of Jesus. Judas had betrayed Him. Peter denied Him. Even after the resurrection the eleven were in a locked room, scared. And yet, we see by the end of this chapter

Acts 2:46–47 ESV

And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

For Mark, the profound transformation of these men from cowardly followers to bold ambassadors prompted him to investigate even more, eventually turning his agnostic criticism to devoted Christian.

If you have your copy of God’s Word, open to Acts 2. Last week, as we saw the church established, we learned of the final days of teaching that Jesus had with His followers, we witnessed His ascension and the command that He gave to His followers. About 120 men and women gathered for prayer, waiting for the promise of the Spirit.

Today, as we turn to chapter 2, we will get to see the church empowered - gifted with the Spirit of God. It’s as though as the Son ascended, the Spirit descended. As we walk through this chapter, we’ll find that there are essentially two major sections - the sign (1-13) and the sermon (14-47). In each of these sections we will observe a response from the crowd.

So, let’s begin by considering the…

Sign of the Spirit (1-13)

Throughout Scripture, we can see different times where God used signs to get people’s attention.

Jacob - and his vision of a ladder and angels ascending and descending (Gen 28:10-22)

Pharoah/Joseph - the dream of famine (Gen. 41)

Moses - the burning bush (Ex. 3)

In a similar way, here in Acts 2 God uses a sign to get people’s attention. That sign is

Wind (1-4)

Acts 2:1–4 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.

Pentecost was one of the major feasts of the Jewish calendar - also known as the Feast of First Fruits (Lev. 23:9-21), or the Feast of Weeks. In this feast, they were to assemble and present before the Lord the first fruits of their spring planting. It became known as Pentecost because it was 50 days following the first Sunday after Passover - (pente - meaning 50).

Here, on this first century Pentecost, there were thousands of extra people in Jerusalem, obediently celebrating this feast, and God shows up with a spectacular sign - really a spectacular sound of a wind. Following this sound was a visible sign of flaming tongues like fire seemed to rest on each of the followers in this room.

There is a bit of double meaning here. The physical sound of wind (in Greek pnoe) parallels the indwelling or empowering of God’s people with His Spirit (in Greek pneuma). The flaming tongues of fire - which would “eat and devour” things parallels the ability of God’s people to use their eating and devouring mouths to speak in other languages (Keener).

This mighty sound was such that it allowed others around to be able to hear it, prompting them to…

Wonder (5-13)

Acts 2:5–13 ESV

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.”

Notice a couple of things about this first group of people.

They were mostly Jews - this is a pattern that we see throughout the book of Acts and even in the Gospels and the epistles - Jews are given an opportunity to hear the good news first. This may be because the Jews would have a context that would allow them to understand the concept of the Messiah and prophecies surrounding the anointed one. Some of these Jews were ethnically Jewish - others had become Jews through conversion - in other words, they were proselytes.

They were diverse - these people were from all over the middle east and the mediterranean. Jewish settlements popped up over the previous centuries in response to persecution and exile. While these Jews may have understood Hebrew for the purposes of worship, they had grown up in contexts where their “native” languages were not Latin or Greek or Hebrew. There are some who see this event as a reversal of the Tower of Babel (Gen. 11). Where God confused languages in order to disperse people who were rising up in opposition to Him, here at this Pentecost, God is dispersing the message of His gospel into different languages in order to gather to Himself a diverse people (Keener).

They were “amazed and perplexed” - Galileans must have had a certain accent or attire or stereotype that suggested that it would have been unlikely that they would have been able to speak all of these other languages. The fact that they heard the good news from these Galileans, the testimony/witnessing of these believers in their native languages puzzled the hearers - making them want to know more.

I think this is important for us to see that God did wonderful signs in the past and may do wonderful signs even in our day - but He doesn’t use those signs for ecstatic experiences alone. He uses those things to get our attention so that He can instruct us with His Word - His teaching.

At the burning bush, God used that sign as a means of getting Moses’ attention so that He could send him on a mission to free the Israelites from their slavery. On Mt. Sinai - God caused great visible signs as a means of revealing Himself to the people of Israel, but then followed that up with the words of His covenant.

So too here, this sign and the speaking in tongues became a way for the people to have their interest piqued in order to listen to Peter’s…

Sermon of the Son (14-47)

In these verses we have a summary of a sermon that Peter gave. Peter doesn’t just use this experience to create and opportunity to gather a crowd for himself or to offer a motivational speech. Peter grounds his sermon in…

Biblical remarks (14-40)

Scripture is the foundation for his three-point sermon. Peter’s example and other examples we see in scripture is why we use Scripture so heavily in our sermons here. Expositional preaching seeks to make the point of the message the point of the passage.

Peter begins by noting how the scriptures foretold what they were experiencing…

Scriptures foretold (14-21)

Acts 2:14–21 ESV

But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: “ ‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day. And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

It’s clear that this crowd was amazed at what they were experiencing and as we read, theories were abounding. But Peter helped them to understand the experience with an exposition of Scripture. He took them back to the prophets in order to help them understand that this event partially fulfilled OT prophecy. Now, there are elements to Joel’s prophecy that were still to be fulfilled I their day. In fact, some of that is still yet to be fulfilled. Peter was helping this crowd to see that God had poured out His Spirit “on all flesh.” This speaking in other languages was not the result of new or sweet wine, but on the Spirit of God.

But then he goes on to communicate that this was not just an experiential event in the lives of believers. Peter went back to Scripture and helped them to see how this outpouring of the Spirit related to…

Jesus’ Ministry and Mission (22-36)

Acts 2:22–36 ESV

“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. For David says concerning him, “ ‘I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope. For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’ “Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” ’ Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

Not only is the outpouring of the Spirit a fulfillment of Scripture, but the life, death, resurrection, and now the ascension of Jesus fulfills Scripture as well. Peter is helping them to see how these beloved Messianic Psalms are fulfilled in Jesus (Psalm 16 and Psalm 110).

He is also helping them to see that they were responsible for His death! As you may remember in our study of the book of Luke, Jesus was given over by Jewish leaders to Roman officials who beat and crucified Him. Crucifixion was a brutal and humiliating form of execution. It was slow and painful. Peter said that this Jesus “attested by God” who did great signs and wonders was killed in a way unbecoming of His character.

Now, while it was the Jewish leaders who had turned Jesus over to the Romans, many other Jews stood by giving their approval. Some of those in Peter’s audience may have been part of that approving group. But I think we also have to assume that it was not all of them. So how can Peter say that they were all guilty of Jesus’ crucifixion? They were guilty by association and by personal sinful rebellion.

I think this is a helpful point for us to remember. Even though Jesus was crucified nearly 2000 years ago, our sinfulness makes us complicit in His crucifixion.

Part of the beauty of that is that Jesus did not stay dead, as Peter discussed in His sermon. He rose again, conquering the grip of death and fulfilling the Psalmist’s prophecy. When we come to Him by faith, we enter into a right relationship with God and receive freedom for the eternal punishment of our sin.

This part of Peter’s message elicited a profound question from the crowd, which provided Peter an opportunity to wrap up his sermon with a…

Call to response (37-40)

Acts 2:37–40 ESV

Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 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.” And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.”

When we come to the Word of God, whether in our own times of reading, in Community Groups or Bible Studies, or here on Sundays in our times of worship, our time in God’s word should elicit a response - maybe it’s a truth to hold, a belief to shift, a habit to change. Peter’s call was a clear call for salvation - repentance (turning away from sin) and baptism - symbolizing a new life in Christ. Notice too, Peter said that they would receive the Holy Spirit.

Peter’s call for salvation brought…

Convicting response (41)

Acts 2:41 ESV

So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

Luke doesn’t help us very well with how this could have happened. Several commentators have suggested that the room where the disciples were all together would have been near the temple grounds. Peter’s sermon likely took place in the temple complex. There were several baptismal pools in that area as baptism had become a practice for proselytes to came to Judaism. There were also hundreds of other pools around Jerusalem. Whether or not this all happened in one day, we don’t know.

What we do know is that thousands came to faith in Christ - repenting of their sins and responding with baptism.

Have you responded to Jesus gracious call to repent and believe? Have you responded with baptism? I’d be happy to open scripture with you and help you to get understand how you too can be saved and then go public with your faith in baptism.

As a result, the initial disciples and these new followers together formed a new…

Christian community (42-47)

Acts 2:42–47 ESV

And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

This early church gathering laid out some helpful patterns for Christian gatherings.

teaching - where these were spending time listening to the teaching of the apostles, we get the joy of having God’s Word as our means of instruction. This is why the Word is so central to all that we do.

fellowship - in Greek this word is koinonia - This is more than simply hanging out together - but really a close partnership. There was a one another-ness to their times together. There is a sense in which we as a body together also share in that same sort of one another-ness. Throughout the rest of the NT we get to see a variety of instructions that help us to fully experience this life together as we

love one another (Romans 12:10)

honor one another (Romans 12:10)

serve one another (Galatians 5:13; 1 Peter 4:10)

encourage one another (1 Thessalonians 4:18, 5:11)

comfort one another (2 Corinthians 13:11)

exhort (teaching/admonishing) one another (Colossians 3:16; Hebrews 3:13)

… and so much more.

I guess the question becomes, how are we doing in our fellowship, our koinonia? Are we embracing one another with all that koinonia contains, or are we keeping each other at arms length?

breaking of bread - whether this is implying a regular celebration of the Lord’s Supper or simply sharing meals together this was in important part of their gatherings. Our regular rhythm is to break bread in the Lord’s Supper or communion monthly. But we have other times of being able to eat together in community groups, breakfasts, and even just casual meals. There is something special that happens when we can slow down and spend time together intentionally.

prayers - since many of these folks came from Jewish backgrounds - it seems like they continued to regularly participate in times of prayer that were scheduled throughout the day. Whether formal or incidental, individual or communal - prayer is a powerful tool that have in our spiritual tool belts and should mark so much of what we do.

While those things marked their times together, Luke notes that many of them shared things in common - even selling some things in order to provide for others. We will see this again in a few weeks when we get to Acts 4-5. I mentioned last week that there are some descriptive things that we’ll find and some prescriptive things. This is one of those descriptive things where the response from the people was to give up what they had for the good and aid of others - specifically those in need. In many ways, we do this through our benevolence fund. But I think we’ve also seen this in the ways that some things with others in need. I guess the question becomes - how are we doing with what God has entrusted to us? Are we holding things lightly or holding things with open hands so that they can be used of God?

Closing thoughts

I mentioned at the outset that the transformation that Mark Dever saw in the disciples in this passage became catalytic in his conversion experience. Though not mentioned here, one of those transformations that piqued Mark’s interest was the Apostle Thomas.

followed Jesus

showed signs of full belief and yet also had instances of fatalism - “let us go so that we may die with him” - speaking of Lazarus’ death.

Ran away when Jesus was arrested.

Refused to believe in the resurrection on the testimony of the others

And yet when he saw Jesus alive - he responded “My Lord and my God.”

We don’t really hear him mentioned much in Scripture.

Church historians note that Thomas went north and east in the early decades following Jesus’ resurrection and ascension. He made his way to Persia - modern Iran - helping to establish churches in the mid 50s AD. Then continued on to central and southern India - planting churches there until he finally gave up his life for Christ around 74AD in a region now call Tamil Nadu.

What a testament to the transforming and empowering work of God in the life of this doubting one.

The transformed lives of these men and women became a compelling community - compelling many others to join in to what Jesus was doing in their day by the power of His Spirit. May God’s Spirit so empower us that others might be compelled to come to faith in Him in our day!

Let’s pray.

Benediction

2 Corinthians 13:14 ESV

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Questions for reflection and discussion

Read: Acts 2

1. What was celebrated on the day of Pentecost? (2:1)

2. What was the importance of the wind and fire? (2:2–4)

3. When the Holy Spirit filled the believers, what did they do? (2:4)

4. How did the God-fearing Jews visiting Jerusalem react when they heard Christians speaking their languages? (2:6–11)

5. What were the believers experiencing? (2:16–21)

6. Why did Peter quote from Joel 2 and Psalm 16 and Psalm 110 ?

7. What did Peter say about Jesus of Nazareth? (2:22–24)

8. What effect did Peter’s sermon have? (2:41)

9. How many were added to the fellowship of believers that day? (2:41)

10. How did you become a Christian?

11. How have you been changed by the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life?

12. What were the activities of the early church? (2:42)

13. What was the spirit of the believers in all they did? (2:46–47)

Sources:

Bruce, F.F. The Book of Acts, Revised Edition. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1988

Fernando, Ajith. Acts. The NIV Application Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1998.

Keener, Craig S. Acts: An exegetical commentary, Volume 1. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2012

Keener, Craig S. The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993.

Lightfoot, J.B. The Acts of the Apostles: A newly discovered commentary. Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press, 2014

Peterson, David G. The Acts of the Apostles. The Pillar New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI; Nottingham, England: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2009.

Toussaint, Stanley D. “Acts.” In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, edited by J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985.

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