Acts 2:1-11 Power To Witness
Notes
Transcript
Intro -
Good morning/ welcome guests and friends - I am Steven the Sr Pastor here. Let me say how awesome it is to have you here with us today!
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Recap -
We started this series with a bit of a history lesson on Acts.
Luke - Author
Theopholis - Original Audience
Acts - Historical narrative / Principles not prescriptions
Accounts for church history - 30 AD - 62 AD - 32 years of history.
Luke is giving witness to the explosive growth of the church.
His audience is a man named Theophilus and a Greek speaking church.
The letter was likely written around AD 70
To a church that was struggling under Roman persecution.
Luke writes to inform the church of the Power of the Spirit to continue the work of Jesus on earth through the faithful church.
Luke wants his readers to know - The same Holy Spirit in the past is the same Holy Spirit today!
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Intro -
The Key to understanding the book of Acts is in
That key is found in
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Luke has two main points.
The Spirit Empowers
His audience is a man named Theophilus and a Greek speaking church.
The Spirit Empowers people to be an effective witness of Jesus.
The letter was likely written around AD 70
The Book of Acts is broken up into 3 sections and these 3 sections are
To a church that was struggling under Roman persecution.
The Empowered witness to Jerusalem
Luke writes to inform the church of the Power of the Spirit to continue the work of Jesus on earth through the faithful church.
Empowered witness to Judea and Samaria.
And the empowered witness to all the known world.
Luke wants his readers to know - The same Holy Spirit in the past is the same Holy Spirit today!
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Key Pattern to watch for:
Every time God expands the Kingdom into a new area - Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, world it starts with the people being empowered by the Spirit to be an effective witness.
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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.
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.”
History -
History -
Pentecost - 50 days after the Passover Feast
Acts 2:1-11
Festival celebrates the Law being given to Moses and the first fruits of the Spring Harvest.
“Pentecost is about God giving to his redeemed people the way of life by which they must now carry out his purposes.”
N.T. Wright
Celebration in the Temple and in homes
Celebrating God parting the sea with his breath
Celebrating God going before the Hebrews in the wilderness in a pillar of fire.
Connecting -
Connecting -
Acts - Sound like a might wind - Connects with the breath of God
Divided tongues like fire - Pillar of fire in the wilderness leading the people of God.
But why did the first people of God speak on Tongues or these Languages?
But why did the first people of God speak on Tongues or these Languages?
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.”
Acts 2:
Remember the point of is the fulfillment of Jesus’ words in
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
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How this applied to the early church -
John and Peter arrested for their witness of Jesus in the Public (healing of lame beggar.)
And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.
This pattern repeats over and over again in the book of Acts.
A new people are reached - Holy Spirit empowers the new people to be an effective witness.
Christians need boldness - HS falls people are made effective witnesses.
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Here is what I want us all to understand today!
Effective Witnessing Takes Supernatural Power
Effective Witnessing Takes Supernatural Power
praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.
;47
2 Principles
2 Principles
Principles
Wait in Prayer for the Power of the Holy Spirit
Wait in Prayer for the Power of the Holy Spirit
GO!! In the power of the Spirit as a witness to the Lordship of Jesus.
GO!! In the power of the Spirit as a witness to the Lordship of Jesus.
Have you ever wondered why we seldom see the power of the Holy Spirit?
It is usually because we have missed one of these two principles.
We don’t wait
Or we don’t go
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How this Applies to us today!
How this Applies to us today!
Francis Chan Story
Francis Chan - Myanmar / A village with 0 believers in Jesus / Def brother and sister healed/ Entire village came to be healed / Everyone they prayed for was healed/ Buddhist monk and village became Christians.
Francis Chan Story
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Francis had never experienced this before.
Went to unbelievers/ Prayed for the power of the HS so he and team could be effective witness.
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What would it look like if we honestly went to the people who need Jesus in the Power of His Spirit?
What would it look like if we honestly went to the people who need Jesus in the Power of His Spirit?
God has called us to go and bring Life, Joy, and Beauty to our community and one another.
God has called us to go and bring Life, Joy, and Beauty to our community and one another.
We will never accomplish this mission without the Power of the HS
No strategy - technology - worship sound -or evangelistic method will work
without the HS empowering us to be effective witnesses.
All are great tools but with out the HS they will not be effective in witnessing about Jesus.
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Conclusion:
If you are a follower of Jesus, God has called you to be a witness of His greatness!
Or we can become a church that loves our city like Jesus
A church that longs for the people to know Jesus and his love and goodness.
A church that is willing to go to those who need Jesus
A church that seeks the power of the HS not for our sake but for the sake of those who need Jesus.
You were never called to only attend church
You were called to be a witness - To GO!!! (Work, home, school, friends, missions, etc.
God has given us the same HS as Jesus to be an effective witness of Jesus.
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Two things are needed to be an effective witness
Two things are needed to be an effective witness
Wait in prayer for the HS to come upon you.
GO!! To those who need to see and hear the power and love of the Living Jesus.
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Today I want to invite you to join me in seeking God to empower us to be an effective witness.
And for the willingness to go to them rather than demand they come to us.
No system - or expectations on what must happen.
Simply come with the expectation that God will pour out his Spirit to empower us to share his witness.
What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”