Empowered for Proclamation
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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. 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.”
The New American Commentary: Acts 7. The Miracle at Pentecost (2:1–13)
Everything in chap. 1 is preparatory to the great outburst of the Spirit who poured upon the praying band of believers at Pentecost.
God’s sending of His Spirit was for the purpose of the disciples fulfilling what Jesus said they would do. “be my witnesses...”
Sermons from John Piper (1990–1999) Tongues of Fire and the Fullness of God
It’s a shame that the term “Pentecostal power” has for many people become more associated with speaking in tongues than with the harvest of world evangelization.
God’s provision for our proclamation is His presence: The Holy Spirit.
The coming of the Holy Spirit was a unique moment because it was the first time He met with Christ’s Church.
While this is a unique moment in Church history, the principles for his coming to meet with God’s people are the same. God Himself chooses when to empower revival.
This text describes three things that will happen when the Holy Spirit is free to move in the Church...
God’s Church is Empowered
God’s Church is Empowered
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.
The Holy Spirit came on a strategic day - Pentecost.
All sorts of different ethnic Jews would be present for this event.
CSB Study Bible: Notes Chapter 2
Pentecost (also called the Festival of Weeks, Lv 23:15–16) commemorated the giving of the law on Mount Sinai and occurred fifty days after Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread. Jews either made pilgrimage to Jerusalem for Pentecost or remained there after Passover.
The Spirit came suddenly and violently.
Imagine the sound’s source coming from above you in the sky, like a jet plane, and then getting closer, closer, and closer until it’s source sounds as if it is right there in the room with you.
Have you ever been in a room with a jet engine.
This powerful source of the sound is about to indwell each and every believer in the room. WOW.
Each person was individually filled by the Holy Spirit
Not just one of them or a few of them.
All where filled and enabled to proclaim the gospel uniquely.
“as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
The filling of the Holy Spirit can be a tricky topic to navigate within different Christian circles.
The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Acts of the Apostles 1. The Coming of the Spirit (2:1–13)
Someone who is already filled with or full of the Spirit can receive a further filling or enabling for a particular ministry (cf. Acts 4:31). So ‘our western logical concept that something which is full cannot be filled any further is misleading if applied to the Spirit.
Holman New Testament Commentary: Acts A. Symbols of the Spirit’s Coming (vv. 1–4)
When we look at the entire New Testament teaching on the Holy Spirit, we see the word baptism associated with initial conversion and the word filling with ministry. The first seems to happen once without repetition; the second occurs with frequency as believers allow God’s Spirit to produce powerful work through them.
The fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) are fruits of those who have been baptized by the Holy Spirit (sealed; Ephesians 1:13)
The Holy Spirit filling a believer after their initial sealing occurs for the purpose of ministry endeavors. And it’s available for all believers.
Holly Spirit filling not only means that God is getting more control of the believer, but also is empowering them to do something that is not natural for them to do without His extra concentrated presence.
An important point to make here is that the working of the Spirit within the believer for some special ministry at a particular moment is never meant to cause attention and awe directed at the one being used by God.
Most people romanticize the ministry of the Spirit to resemble street magicians or mystics.
God’s Glory is Proclaimed
God’s Glory is Proclaimed
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.”
The loud transformational presence of God was noticed by people outside of the gathering and caused them to draw near.
This drew them close enough to hear the gospel for themselves.
Once close, they heard the glory of God and the gospel declared in the language of their nation.
They likely knew how to speak Greek and it wan’t necessary for them to hear it in their native tongue to be able to comprehend the message.
But, the miraculous and amazing fact that they heard it in their home tongue caused them to be in awe and realize the significance of the moment.
This is an opposite picture of what happened in Genesis at the tower of Babel.
There are 13 places mentioned.
Blood Jews and Converts to Judaism.
Cretans - Residents of Crete.
Arabians - residence of Arabia.
The purpose of the Holy Spirit’s coming wasn’t to entertain people, but to declare the glory of God and preach the Gospel in order to convict sinners of their sins and need for Christ.
There are way too many churches attributing silly, demonic, and strange things to the Holy Spirit.
All the while the message they are preaching is not the gospel!
Some Churches in California have glitter glory parties during their praise services and claim they have an extra anointing of the Spirit only to then have the messenger take the stage and demonize the doctrine of Christ’s deity.
Jesus’ Spirit is concerned with Jesus’ Great Commission!
Notice how the nations are being reached through the empowering of the first group of believers!
People Will Respond Differently
People Will Respond Differently
And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”
All people encountering the phenomenon of the Holy Spirit could see something truly amazing was happening.
The just didn’t know what it meant!
Some people will respond with a magnetic pull.
Some people will respond with true faith and repentance to a movement of God’s Spirit.
Some people will respond with a disgusted response.
I’ve experienced moments where the Lord placed me in the right place at just the right time and proclaimed the gospel to someone who then received it with awe and wonder only to have them later respond negatively.
God can do something amazing for someone who realizes in the moment that it is amazing, only to go the next day in denial.
Acts 2:41 After Peter preaches, the text says that “those who received his word” were added to the church. This implies that there were some who did not receive Peter’s words.
We never know how people will respond to the gospel when God anoints us for a witness moment. Both responses serve God’s purposes. A positive can produce salvation, and a negative will produce your sanctification.