The Power
Holy Spirit • Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 15 viewsThe Day of Pentecost and the fulfillment of the Promise.
Notes
Transcript
260 – Hover O'er Me, Holy Spirit
Previous Sermons
The Person
(3rd person of Godhead)
The Promise
(Acts 1)
Now
The Power
(Acts 2)
(Pentecost)
Next
The Past
(SDA History 1888)
The Punchline
(Latter Rain)
Today,
Day of Pentecost
Turn to Acts 2
When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place.
Look at KJV
better
Acts 2:1 (KJV):
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
If you remember
from last chapter.
Jesus gives promise
of coming Spirit
not many days future.
But disciples
ask if Jesus will
restore kingdom.
In other words,
they missed it.
The were completely
unprepared for
coming promise.
What changed?
God told them,
go to Jerusalem
get ready.
Only 10 days later,
the promise comes.
What changed?
First verse,
“they were in one accord”
That changed!
If you remember,
last supper,
fighting about
who is greatest.
Foot washing....
Things have changed:
Unity
Humility
repentance
peace
love
How?
What brought about unity?
Good question!
Don’t we want unity?!?
What did they do
during those 10 days?
Acts 1:13-14
And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying... All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
What were they doing there?
Prayer
NO...
“Devoting Themselves to Prayer”
“Devoting Themselves to Prayer”
Is there a difference?
What is the difference?
When you are
devoted to something
you give it your heart.
Not just
table prayer
bed-time prayer
10 minute token prayer
Devoted to Prayer!
Let me ask...
How many have joined?
the morning prayer call?
Who is devoted to it?
Who has never joined once?
How many have a conflict
with something
other than sleep
most days?
Why aren’t you
on the prayer call
where we are
crying out for the
promise of the spirit?
Why?
because you are
not devoted to prayer!
period.
The Lord has fulness of grace to bestow on every one that will receive the heavenly gift.
The Holy Spirit ... will mold and fashion the human agent according to the divine Pattern, in proportion as the human agent shall earnestly desire the transformation.
- Sons and Daughters of God p. 28
There is a phrase here
that is very important
“in proportion as”...
What does that mean?
We receive
this amazing change
of the Spirit
in proportion as
we seek and desire it!
So far,
we learned
the disciples
sought it
desired it
devoted themselves.
As a result,
God worked an
amazing tranformation.
What Next?
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.
What happens now?
Fill with Holy Spirit
Strong Wind
Tongue of Fire
Spoke in Tongues
Our Pentecostal friends
would say
speaking jibberish!
But let’s see
what happened
in the story:
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.
people hear the noise
come check it out.
Hear people
Speaking in what???
“hearing them speak in his own language”
God does not
lead his people
to speak jibberish.
That work my friends,
is not of the Holy Spirit.
It is actually
a false latter rain.
Before the final visitation of God’s judgments upon the earth there will be among the people of the Lord such a revival of primitive godliness as has not been witnessed since apostolic times...
The enemy of souls desires to hinder this work; and before the time for such a movement shall come, he will endeavor to prevent it by introducing a counterfeit. In those churches which he can bring under his deceptive power he will make it appear that God’s special blessing is poured out;
there will be manifest what is thought to be great religious interest. Multitudes will exult that God is working marvelously for them, when the work is that of another spirit. Under a religious guise, Satan will seek to extend his influence over the Christian world. {GC 464.1}
Texas - Jibberish
Now, just in case
you are not convinced
Tongues are real language
the story continues:
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?”
The Bible is
abundantly clear
on topic of Tongues.
Tongues are
other languages.
Yet,
just like today.
Many misunderstand
and reject
working of the Spirit.
But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”
At this point
Peter stands up
gives long sermon.
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:
He quotes
“And it shall come to pass afterward,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your old men shall dream dreams,
and your young men shall see visions.
Even on the male and female servants
in those days I will pour out my Spirit.
Peter claims
they are experiencing
fulfillment of Joel 2.
He explains,
this is all
because of
what they did
to Jesus.
Acts 2:22-23 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth… [was] delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.
Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
As the people
they are convicted:
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?”
Peter doesn’t waist time
giving the answer:
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.
Many people
accepted exhortation:
So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.
I know many
who want to be
batized but
not into a church.
They say
I want to be
“batized into Christ”.
I want you to see
last verse explains:
Acts 2:47 (NKJV):
praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.
Verse 41 says
3000 were added
“added to them”
But verse 47
makes it clear
who them is:
“added to the church”
This makes clear
those who are baptized
are added to
a local body
of believers.
In this way
they can
grow
trive
edified
disciples
supported
unified.
In fact,
amazingly,
verse 46 explainse
the extent of
their unification:
And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.
That is an amazing
sense of unity they had.
And I’m convinced
there will come a time
when we will
do this again
sooonnn....
So we better
start getting used
to being around
each other alot more.
This chapter is
the story of
amazing transformation.
120 Unconverted
3000 Converted
What changed?
Jesus Christ
ascended 10 day before.
Sacrifice accepted
Reinstated as
King of Kings
Lord of Lords
Inaugural appointment
give them
the promised
Holy Spirit Power!
Christ’s ascension to heaven was the signal that His followers were to receive the promised blessing. For this they were to wait before they entered upon their work.
When Christ passed within the heavenly gates, He was enthroned amidst the adoration of the angels. As soon as this ceremony was completed, the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples in rich currents, and Christ was indeed glorified, even with the glory which He had with the Father from all eternity.
The Pentecostal outpouring was Heaven’s communication that the Redeemer’s inauguration was accomplished.
According to His promise He had sent the Holy Spirit from heaven to His followers as a token that He had, as priest and king, received all authority in heaven and on earth, and was the Anointed One over His people. {AA 38.3}
The outpouring
of Pentecost
happened right on time.
It was on the
prophetic calendar.
In fact,
all fiest days
Messianic Prophecies.
I just don’t have
time to go into
all those details
at this time.
This unique outpouring
of the spirit
is actually not
solely reserved
for those who lived
2000 years ago.
That part of story
I like most
Most exciting part
about all this:
Joel’s prophecy
is actually
Dual Fulfillment.
Follow me on this...
Peter says
Pentecost is
fulfillment of Joel 2.
But if we read it thoroughly,
It is only a
partial fulfillment.
The context of
Joel 2 and 3
is judgment.
Lets read section
that Peter quoted...
“ ‘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.’
Look at this
you realize
part of this
was not fulfilled
at Pentecost.
Those signs in heavens
did not happen then.
Actually, there are
two other places
that talk about
those signs.
“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
What is the context of this verse?
Tribulation
2nd Coming
Next verse:
When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale.
This passages
signs before
2nd Coming.
Therefore,
Pentecost was
only partial fulfillment.
There will again,
be a special
outpouring of
God’s Spirit
at the end.
In the same chapter
of Joel 2
we find beautiful
spiritual teaching.
Just before
the prophecy about
Spirit being given
we find
verse 23:
“Be glad, O children of Zion,
and rejoice in the Lord your God,
for he has given the early rain for your vindication;
he has poured down for you abundant rain,
the early and the latter rain, as before.
Early and Latter Rain
Two rainy seasons
Fall and Spring.
This rain from heaven
was emblematic
of something more:
Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord;
his going out is sure as the dawn;
he will come to us as the showers,
as the spring rains that water the earth.”
Early rain =
coming of God’s power.
Joel 2 speaks of
2 rains
2 fulfillments
Early Rain =
Pentecost
Latter Rain =
End of Time
Spirit Power.
We live during Latter Rain
If this is true
we have obligation:
Ask rain from the Lord
in the season of the spring rain,
from the Lord who makes the storm clouds,
and he will give them showers of rain,
to everyone the vegetation in the field.
It is time
for the rain.
Jesus is coming soon.
He will soon,
provide another
pentecostal experience
for last-day believers.
Our job:
be prepared to receive!
Like early disciples:
devoted to prayer!
Ask for Rain!
265 – Breathe on Me, Breath of God