The Holy Spirit in the Early Church

Seen HS in OT and Life of Jesus.

Acts 1:1–11 ESV

In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 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.” And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

Seen HS in OT and Life of Jesus.

Tap into the power of God

HS is with us at every stage in our lives.

A) The Preparation for the Outpouring.

Jesus knew how important the HS was so after His resurrection -

Luke 24:49 ESV

And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

Luke 24.

John 20:21–22 ESV

Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

John 20.

then we get into the book of Acts.

Acts 1:1–11 ESV

In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 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.” And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

Acts 1.1-

JC had given them commands through the HS

ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem

wait for the promise of the Father

You will be baptized with the HS

You will receive the power when the HS has come on you

The apostles then obeyed Jesus.

Returned to Jerusalem from Mt. Olives, went to the Upper Room

Acts 1:14 ESV

All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

Prayer - If we want to receive what God has for us, we must wait on Him in prayer.

Prayer prepares us for the Holy Spirit.

Prayer keeps us in the Spirit.

If we desire the Holy Spirit and more of the Holy Spirit, then we must spend time with God in prayer.

A Church Friday night prayer meeting may seem redundant, obsolete, unnecessary, unimportant to you but the way the church is energized, empowered and taps into the power and presence of God is by the saints gathering together for prayer, making a sacrifice to call upon the God of heaven to come down.

When prayer meetings die, the church should ready to be buried.

Finances are important but finances won’t keep the church alive.

When you gather in small groups, pray.

B) The Experience of Outpouring.

Acts 2:1–4 KJV 1900

And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

The day finally came!

They were all in one accord - all together, in one place

those who stay away from church will miss the special times

A sound from heaven. We have enough sounds from earth. We need a sound from heaven.

tongues of fire

sat upon each of them. they were all soaked in prayer, prepared for God

all filled

began to speak with other tongues.

That’s how we know they were filled.

Today we have many who are critical of tongues

Quench not the Spirit

Forbid not to speak in tongues

Interesting that the churches that have no tongues have little or no manifestation of the Spirit of God.

C) The Reaction to the Outpouring.

Acts 2:5–12 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?”

. 5-

Amazement/astonishment

- perplexed and confused.

Amazed, Astonished

-WOW

Astonished

-How are these people speaking our language?

God is able to do a work that will leave many bewildered. “We thought religion was dead. We thought the church was dying.”

God is getting ready to a work that will leave many in amazement and astonishment.

“Jaw-dropping” Jesus encounters with the Holy Spirit of God.

Bewilderment /perplexity

Bewildered / Perplexed

Bewildered : perplexed and confused.

Perplexed: completely baffled, puzzled.

Confusion. I don’t know.

What does this mean? God is on the move!

And another -

Acts 2:13 ESV

But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”

Mockery

Mockery

And another -

Same group of people, same experience, different, even opposite reactions.

What’s cool depends upon who’s speaking!

If we live to please men, we can forget about pleasing God, making progress with God.

They mocked then, they will mock now.

There are

Richard Dawkins at a Reason Rally called on atheists and agnostics to "ridicule and show contempt" for the religious and their doctrines.

It’s not going to get easier.

The atheist, agnostic, unbelieving crowd will be increasingly vicious in their attacks.

It will take increasing guts, strength to live for God.

Psalm 14:1–3 ESV

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good. The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.

: 1-3

But when we have phenomenon that is new, unique, novel, it begs not just for reactions for an explanation.

D) The Explanation of the Outpouring.

Peter stands up to speak, the one who denied Jesus three times.

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.’

This is a fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy.

and he turns to preach Jesus

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.”

acts 2.22-

This legitimizes the claims of Christ. It is proof that Jesus is Lord and Christ.

His ministry was powerful.

His death was predicted

His resurrection was unprecedented.

Now the HS has been out-poured as the final proof to His Lordship.

The Response to the Outpouring

Acts 2:37–41 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.” So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

. 37-