Acts 2_1-13 When He Reigns it Pours
Secular:
- Ever notice how people of power and influence create a stir when they arrive. You here of near riot scenes when the likes of Brittany Spears arrive, or Michael Jordan… or when the boss comes to the shop floor or a V.P. flies into your location.
- I remember when Bill Clinton attended First Baptist in Vancouver.
- The security checks, the heightened awareness of all that was going on, the prising and preening of people and the facility.
Biblical:
NIV Acts 2:1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. 5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs-- we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!" 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?" 13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, "They have had too much wine."
Personal:
Something Big – Presence of God
Something Powerful – The answer Crystal Clear
Something Supernatural – The transformation… those who knew me asked… what is he on… is he crazy!!
Bridge:
The church was born… believer by believer
- The Tools –
- The Message
- The Manifestation * The Might
- The Mystery
- The Trade
- The Mission * The Motive
- Something… big, powerful and supernatural… * Live life in the SPIRIT!!
Body:
1) The Evidence of the Spirit’s Coming:
NIV Acts 2:1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
· This is the moment at which the church is born
· The excitement would rival any birthday party
· It was the Feast of the Harvest… ‘aptly named’
· It was the celebration of the day the Law was given to Moses
· …and Just as promised the Spirit was poured out
· Gathered together… body obediently waiting for the Spirit
· Simile: like… violent, wind…
· FROM Heaven (supernatural!!)
· Wind… Greek and Hebrew… same as Spirit
· Tongues of fire… purity and power
· Filled with Spirit…
i. Vs. Baptized by Spirit
ii. NIV 1 Corinthians 12:13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body-- whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free-- and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
iii. Single- sovereign and unrepeatable (was not us drawing God out of heaven)
iv. NIV Galatians 3:26 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
2) The Effect of the Spirit’s Coming
5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs-- we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!"
· Everyone was there!!
· It was something big…
· …like the Olympics
i. So many nations
ii. Such complete representation of the faith… + converts, Cretans and Arabs
· Incredible things happened
i. Not only wind
ii. Not only tongues of fire
iii. But all who where there witnessed the believers speaking in many different languages… so many… it was supernatural
iv. Weren’t these the guys from down the street (Galileans)
v. What is going on here??
· “we hear them declaring the wonders of God”
· Acts 10: 34 Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favouritism 35 but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.
· God embraces… all men
· Not just a Jewish family… from Israel
· Gen 17: 7 I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.
· Not just a Christian heritage… a trust from family to family
· Eph 6:4 Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord
· But instead we all have the hope… the something powerful… the Spirit of God to claim…
· Romans 9:7 Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham's children. On the contrary, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned."8 In other words, it is not the natural children who are God's children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham's offspring.
Something Big… The Spirit of God was given to empower the church… the hope of the world
Something Powerful… The Spirit of God was given not just to the Children of Israel… but all who would trust.
· Christianity isn’t exclusive to a privileged few…
· 1 Timothy 2:1 I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone-- 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all men-- the testimony given in its proper time.
· And not just for perfect people… but average folk… from every corner of the globe… the hope of eternity, of peace…
· Something very powerful happened!!
3) The Explanation of the Spirit’s Coming
12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?" 13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, "They have had too much wine."
· NIV 1 Corinthians 1:18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
· Those who don’t know joke…
· We often cover our lack of understanding with our own made up excuses…
· We learn it young …
i. Skates not sharp…
ii. Didn’t sleep well…
iii. He must of cheated…
· When it seems too incredible… (movie/TV)
i. It must have been a camera trick
We don’t want to deal with the possibility… it might be beyond our reach… Computer jokes!!
· What so much of the world is afraid to understand…
· Trying to explain away…
· Is that there is a God…
· He Loves us and…
· He has sent something big, something power, something supernatural…
Conclusion:
We need to embrace the “BIG” of the Holy Spirit… a little unrestrained
We need to engage the “POWERFUL” of the Holy Spirit… a life of commitment
We need to embrace the “SUPERNATURAL” of the Holy Spirit in humility, mystery and thankful that we trust in a God bigger than our understanding!!