Why the Holy Spirit Comes

Introduction

Boys skating - A reminder that I lack wisdom and power to care for both of my boys. Some days I feel like a great parent - other days… I need help! THE SPIRIT helps.

In - Greater works. What are the greater works? See “Greater Works” beginning in . The Good News of the Kingdom of God expanding to the ends of the earth. Jesus’ mission localized - but the church takes Jesus’ mission global.

But, we don’t do it alone! - Apart from Jesus we can do nothing.

Jesus promises the Holy Spirit. .

In Jerusalem 120 people gathered in an upstairs room of a Jewish home waiting for Jesus to fulfill His promise. He does, and in an instant everything changes.

In the OT Spirit active but selective and temporary. Comes on people like Joshua and David empowering them for a specific work. (When David sinned, he actually asked God not to take the Spirit from him. ) NT

NT = A new day - In - Spirit comes on all people permanently empowering every believer for a specific work. Why does the Holy Spirit come? At Pentecost? In your life? Why do you need the Spirit?

Neglect talking about Spirit because we’ve watched Benny Hinn. But, you need to understand how the Spirit of God works in your life. 2 primary ways the Spirit works:

The Holy Spirit draws people to Jesus.

Pentecost - 50 Days after Passover. One of three major festivals. Celebrated the giving of the Law at Sinai and celebrated the Harvest - that God gave in abundance. Like Passover, Jews who were dispersed all over the empire would travel to Jerusalem to celebrate this feast.

But, this Pentecost celebration would be different. Instead of celebrating the Law, celebrating the grace-filled, life giving power of the Spirit. Instead of celebrating an abundance of harvest - an abundance of power and a harvest of souls from all nations.

120 believers - praying and waiting - then suddenly - sound like a wind. Imagine - What’s going on? People walking the streets of Jerusalem hear the sound - maybe rush to the source of the sound - this house where believers are gathered.

OT - wind and breath same word. Wind = life. (ruah) When God breathes He gives life. Adam (); Valley of Dry Bones (Ez. 37); Jesus to Nicodemus. The Spirit is like wind. ( - “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.”) Acts - wind coming to give life to believers.

Fire - Abraham () Presence of God - Burning bush () Don’t come too close. FEAR - Mt. Sinai () - Fire - touch the mountain and die. Smoke from the temple - reminder of presence of God who demands sacrifices for atonement of sin. Worship God at a distance.

Fire resting on believers. ( - John said Jesus would baptize with fire.) They don’t die! They can come close to the fire! The presence of God rests on every believer!

Tongues of fire - speaking in known languages. The nations represented in Jerusalem - Jews born in different nations growing up learning the language of country where born instead of Hebrew. As the multitude gathers to see what has taken place - they hear Jews who are obviously living in Israel speaking to the in their own tongue! Rich symbolism:

Jews exiled - far from the land of God - now hearing God is bringing them back not to a land but to Himself.

Reversal of Babel - People scattered into different languages - now brought back together hearing the same language - Preview of heaven - when we will not be divided by culture and language but will be one people.

In a sense, being fulfilled at Upper Room - God drawing the nations to Himself to hear the Gospel.

The Holy Spirit has come to draw people from every nation to the Savior. 3,000 people will give their lives to Jesus and be united in Christ.

The Holy Spirit has come to make you a missional Christian. The Spirit’s goal is to draw people to Jesus through you and He does it as your are filled with the Spirit. ()

Ill. - Hudson says I go to work to get money. Luke says I go to “practice preaching.” They don’t know what I do! Nor, do we know what the Spirit does.

The Spirit of God is more interested in drawing people from the nations to salvation in Christ than prospering you financially, healing, causing crazy spiritual experiences, etc.

What do you do? - Be filled.

Be filled = You have the Spirit who seals your salvation (). But, you can resist the Spirit’s work. Being filled is to yield to the Spirit’s control and cooperate with His work so you can be a missional Christian. You’re going to let something control you, but will you let the Spirit control you? If anything else controls it will lead you away from God, but a Spirit-controlled life will lead to a life in the center of God’s will. What is controlling you?

Be filled = growing in character of Christ (Fruit of the Spirit.) Spirit grows you. Grow in your giftedness. (1 Cor. 12)

Be filled = Spirit grows you to send you. (Great commission.)

If not growing in character of Christ and going in the power of Christ you are resisting the work of the Spirit.

The Holy Spirit empowers ordinary people to move.

Multitudes gather - hear uneducated men speaking in their language. Many amazed, but it must have been a strange scene. Some accuse them of being drunk.

Peter stands to give explanation. Can’t be drunk! 9:00 in the morning! You don’t drink this early!

Then, Peter takes the people back to Scripture to interpret what’s taking place. Specifically, to .

“Joel spoke of this day when God’s Spirit would be poured out on all flesh.” Not all flesh here, but in essence, all nations in . “We are in the last days! A new day has dawn!” Peter - we’re in God’s final days of redemptive history. The Spirit has come on all people regardless of male or female, race, social class, etc. And, it’s still happening, and will happen in an even greater way as we await the return of Christ.

- Call on the name of the Lord. Peter jumps into the Gospel - Jesus is Lord! Not “feel good” preaching. Not, “3 ways God wants to bless you.” Or, “5 ways to have better relationships.” Peter is bold and in your face. The Spirit has made him bold.

“You crucified and killed...” () The crucifixion is still fresh. This is offensive!

“But you didn’t kill Him. God raised Him up. OT said this would happen but you missed it!” () (Messianic Psalm - This wasn’t talking about David!)

Jesus alive and exalted. David not ascended at right hand of Father - Jesus is! ()

vs. 36 - Jesus exalted, and you crucified Him!

vs. 37 - Holy Spirit present and convicting people. They had been confronted with the truth. What do we do? Peter: “Repent!” Turn from rebellion against God and give your life to Him. Acknowledge Christ as Lord and receive forgiveness. And, you will receive the same Spirit that empowers us.

3,000 people saved! Significant number! Moses gave Law - - People rebelled. Broke 1st command! Idolatry! Worshipped Baal - 3000 died! Now, when God comes in power at Pentecost - 3000 people find life. Why? Jesus! GOSPEL: :28 - reminder that we can’t keep the law and deserve death. - reminder of a New Day! Jesus has done what we cannot do for ourselves, and in Him we find life!

Ordinary man, fisherman, changed by the power of God - preaches powerful sermon - 3000 people saved and go back to their countries taking the Gospel. Rest of Acts - Gospel on the move by ordinary people!

Acts = Acts of the Spirit - Church multiplies NOT primarily by Apostles - They stay in Jerusalem - but by ordinary, unnamed followers of Jesus empowered by the Spirit.

Church at Antioch - - unnamed followers.

- Paul arrives in Rome - Gospel already there! How did it get there? Ordinary followers of Jesus empowered by the Spirit on the move.

God uses ordinary followers of Jesus, unknown to the rest of the world, people without platforms, notoriety, etc. - who have nothing BUT the Spirit of God - and He changes the world.

We don’t need bigger buildings, more money, more fancy programs, entertaining music, etc. We need a church full of people filled with the Spirit - because when we’re filled - we’re bold. When we’re filled - we’re bold. So for you - a few questions:

Will you live in power or for pleasure? Power to grow in Christ, power to operate in your Spirit-giftedness, power to go. Power for God to use an ordinary life that is surrendered to Him. Or, will you forsake power and choose to please you? Chasing temporal pleasures that will pass - and end your life that has invested little into eternity? (Hudson’s shoes don’t fit unless they have lights… For you, you’ve made up your mind this whole Jesus thing doesn’t seem to fit - but consider what you are forfeiting.)

Will you stay or will you go? Early church gathered, but it also scattered. Christians move - and this morning, God is moving you. He’s moving you to a neighbor, a family member, a coworker, to the ends of the earth. The church is not a building to go to but a movement of God’s people who grow together and go together.

Will you live in boldness or fear? Peter - bold! Why? Yielded to the Spirit. We’d rather make people happy than help people become holy. Because of love, we have difficult conversations. We talk about sin, and we talk about grace. Not because we’re judgmental, but because we know there is a Judge.

Will you choose life or death? Today, Spirit is just as present as He was at Pentecost, and today, Spirit still drawing people to Jesus. Some in this room, He is drawing. Will you resist, or will you repent? Will you choose to find life in the One who died and rose again, or will you choose an eternity apart from Him. Right now, I know Spirit convicting, how will you respond?

Believer, pray that you will be filled with the Spirit. Are you allowing Him to control? Evidence: you grow and go.