The Descent of the Spirit

INTRODUCTION

Good Morning - steve Mckenzie, Lead Pastor

September 9 - Church Lunch and Vision

Time of Connection & Vision: Meet others and to talk about where we are headed, both the big picture but also specifically in the coming months and what we will focus on.

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Time of Conversation

OPEN IN PRAYER

We are in the second week of our series through the book of Acts

BIG IDEA: The gospel will be proclaimed among all peoples through witnesses empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Last Week:

Jesus told his followers to wait in Jerusalem until the receive power from the Holy Spirit so they can then go out among all the nations and proclaim the works of Jesus.

Today: (Big Idea: God faithfully fulfills his promise to the disciples by filling them with the Holy Spirit to powerfully proclaim the gospel to the nations)

We are going to see God’s faithfulness to:

1) The Promise of His Presence (2:1-4)

2) The Promise of His Power (2:5-11)

3) Our Response (2:12-13)

Open in Prayer

BACKGROUND

Before jumping into our passage this morning I want to step back and clarify 3 foundational truths about the Holy Spirit that we will continue to build on in the coming weeks.

1) Who is the Holy Spirit?, 2) What does the Holy Spirit Do?, 3) Language around the Holy Spirit?

WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT?

The Holy Spirit is God, the 3rd person of the Trinity.

Our statement of beliefs says, “we believe in one God, eternally existent in three equally divine persons: the Father, the son, and the Holy Spirit, who know, love, and glorify one another.

There are several groups who would disagree with us on this statement, including: Mormons, Jehovah Witnesses, and Oneness Pentecostals.

Here’s one example for why we believe in one God, eternally existent is three equally divine persons - meaning the Holy Spirit is God (Bible College Class, 17 years ago tomorrow)

“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD (YHWH): I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”

“And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us: for after saying, ‘This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds’.”

WHAT DOES THE HOLY SPIRIT DO?

Old Testament

Creation (Genesis 1:2; )

Revelation, delivering God’s message to His people and enabling them to deliver God message (1 peter 1:10-11; 2 peter 1:21; )

Marked and Empowered the Messiah (; )

New Testament

Glorify Jesus (; 16:14)

Comforter (John 14:16-17)

Convicts of Sin ()

Helper (John 14:16-17)

Guides us into all truth ()

Glorifies Jesus

Leads us (; ; ; )

Seals us for the day of redemption (, )

LANGUAGE AROUND THE HOLY SPIRIT?

“Baptized with the Holy Spirit” ()

“Come upon you” ()

“Filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:4)

Holy Spirit is “Poured out” ()

Holy Spirit is “received” ()

“To seek to distinguish different experiences by these various expressions, hinting that some may be achieved only after a particular ritual, is a fundamental mistake.” Derek Thomas

To seek to distinguish different experiences by these various expressions, hinting that some may be achieved only after a particular ritual, is a fundamental mistake.

GOD IS FAITHFUL TO HIS PROMISE OF PRESENCE (1-4)

Background:

READ ACTS 2:1-4

Big Idea: God faithfully fulfills his promise to the disciples by filling them with the Holy Spirit to powerfully proclaim the gospel to the nations

We are going to see God’s faithfulness to:

1) The Promise of His Presence (2:1-4)

2) The Promise of His Power (2:5-11)

3) Our Response (2:12-13)

God is faithful to the promise of his presence

Why is this important?

Story of our kids when plans change

God is true to his word. He never over-promises and under-delivers. He doesn’t change or go back. His plans aren’t impacted by other people or uncontrollable circumstances.

God’s Promise (where)

6

“If you love e, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper/Counselor, to be with you forever.

In we see that God was faithful to his promise

We also see another promise in - That his spirit will be with us forever. This is something unique and different to how the Holy Spirit worked in the Old Testament and this truth is also true for us.

God’s Faithfulness

Proof that his Presence is Divine

Sounded Like Rushing Wind

The Old Testament was written in Hebrew and the New Testament was written in Greek. In both of these language the word for the Holy Spirit can also mean, “wind” or “breath,” and the power of the Holy Spirit is likened to breathing life into corpses.

The prophet Ezekiel us this same word when describing the Spirit of God moving over a valley of dry bones in .

The is valley of dry bones. Not just corpses but the barrenness of death.

Then the Holy Spirit, described as a rattling wind, moved across the scattered dry bones and they began to come together. Muscles and flesh covered the bones but the forms remained lifeless until the Spirit of God breathed on them and gave them life.

I’ve heard some say that God can not override our unbelief but in reality, the Spirit of God not only overrides our unbelief, he also overrides our spiritual death to give life.

In , the Spirit moving as a mighty rushing wind, was proof that God was moving and these weren’t just unusual events.

As of Tongues of Fire

Throughout the Bible, fire has always meant the presence of God.

Burning Bush in

The consuming fire on Mount Sinai in

The fact that the tongues were as “fire” was proof that God is fulfilling his promise to

Remember when John the baptist said, “I baptize you with water but he who is coming after me is mightier than I… he will baptize you with the Holy spirit and fire.

Proof that his Presence is Personal

“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...”

Not just the 12 Apostles. There are men and women present. Leaders and non-leaders. Each and every one was filled with the Holy spirit.

Today - this does sound so significant, but this is something new. The emphasis from this moment onwards is on the personal relationship of God to the believer. This isn’t just through a leader.

The pillar of fire that lead the Israelites through the desert. The presence of God that one priest could only enter one time a year now indwells each and every believer - forever!

Read

Pentecost

Systematic Theology

“Baptized” (1:5), “Comes upon” (1:8), “filled” (2:4), “received” ()

To seek to distinguish different experiences by these various expressions, hinting that some may be achieved only after a particular ritual, is a fundamental mistake

3. Elements of Proof: Fire, Wind, Utterances

GOD IS FAITHFUL TO HIS PROMISE OF POWER TO PROCLAIM (5-11)

Systematic Theology

“Baptized” (1:5), “Comes upon” (1:8), “filled” (2:4), “received” ()

To seek to distinguish different experiences by these various expressions, hinting that some may be achieved only after a particular ritual, is a fundamental mistake

DECLARATION OF THE OF THE GOSPEL (5-11)

Supernatural Power

This power isn’t just a strengthening. It’s not like the Apostles were tired and the Holy Spirit is a caffeine shot of energy to keep going.

The power is supernatural.

All of the disciples were speaking in known languages that were unknown to them.

This Super Natural Power is Also Personal

A multitude gathered ‘from every nation under heaven’ and each one was hearing them speak in his own language”

2. Compare and Contrast Pentecost scenes

My wife and lived overseas for 10 years, surrounded by dialects of Arabic and tribal languages. There is a unique kind of fatigue that you experience when trying to communicate in a language that isn’t your mother tongue.

There is comfort and ease when you can understand without effort and express yourself with clarity.

In the same way that God personally filled each of the disciples, he also communicated to each person in their own language.

Illustration

I read a story of a missionary who was trying to translate the Bible into the Kurdish tongue. His unbelieving Kurdish friend, who was helping him translate the book of Acts, marveled that the nations were present on the day in which God formed this new community, the church. The Kurdish man dropped his pencil after reading about the “Medes” and asked, “Do you mean that my people were there?” And then, because the Kurds trace their history back to the Medes, this man reconsidered his idea of Christianity. For him was proof that the gospel is for the world. What happened that day serves as hard evidence that we don’t worship a tribal deity.

What happened that day serves as hard evidence that we don’t worship a tribal deity. Instead, we as followers of Jesus offer salvation to all the nations since our Savior died to win a people from all nations. Pentecost is a little foretaste of the global ‘multitude’ that will one day unite in praise to Jesus.

I read a story of a missionary who was trying to translate the Bible into the Kurdish tongue. His unbelieving Kurdish friend, who was helping him translate the book of Acts, marveled that the nations were present on the day in which God formed this new community, the church. The Kurdish man dropped his pencil after reading about the “Medes” and asked, “Do you mean that my people were there?” And then, because the Kurds trace their history back to the Medes, this man reconsidered his idea of Christianity. For him was proof that the gospel is for the world. What happened that day serves as hard evidence that we don’t worship a tribal deity.

What happened that day serves as hard evidence that we don’t worship a tribal deity. Instead, we as followers of Jesus offer salvation to all the nations since our Savior died to win a people from all nations. Pentecost is a little foretaste

Merida, Tony. Exalting Jesus in Acts (Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary) (Kindle Locations 908-912). B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

Compare and Contrast Pentecost scenes

Fest of Weeks

Giving of Law

First Fruits

DIVISION & DECISION (12-13)

How people responsed

Amazed and Perplexed

Mocking

How will you respond today?

God is faithful to his promises?

Does this leave you amazed and curious? Do you desire to know more? This is evidence of the Holy Spirit at work in your life.

Are you indifferent or maybe even mocking? How could people believe something so outlandish:

The God is perfect and people are broken

That God was would be man in the person of Jesus Christ, live a perfect life, and die on the cross in our place before rises from the dead 3 days later...

That God would place his spirit inside each believer forever and always by simply believing on Jesus.

The Work of the Spirit

In your life and maybe that of a loved one, neighbor, or friend

The Holy Spirit breathes life into bones

There is no one in your life who is too far or out of reach from God.

Let us pray with faith and hope for the Spirit of God to move in their lives.

My Prayer Through This Series

God will personally transform our hearts and minds to understand our identity in Christ

God will empower us personally and collectively to actively proclaim the gospel locally

God will raise up people from our midst to go into global missions.