3.2.22 4.26.2020 Acts 2 When the Spirit Comes to Town He Empowers the Message

Let’s Go!

Entice: The Christian life has been compared to a journey. Following the "Way". Our recent sequestration has sort of made a mockery of that perspective. We can't go anywhere...and it seems, do anything.

Engage: What do you miss most? Did Spring break come and go without a trip? Is vacation vanishing? Let's take a little trip today, shall we? Fueled by the Holy Spirit, directed by the Bible we can continue our journey of faith even when we are not physically with one another.

Expand: Today we need to discuss a part of this journey of faith which is essential. Mainly because it involves the beginning. Not only first Pentecost experience of God's Spirit moving in the preached word...

not just then, but now.

For when the Gospel is faithfully and fully preached men and women can still experience the liberating power of God to save from sin and fill with the Holy Spirit.

Excite: The Holy Spirit empowers the message of the Cross. The Holy Spirit clarifies that it is Jesus who saves. The Holy Spirit inspired the Scripture and indwells the preacher. The Holy Spirit helps us to affirm God's will and intention in saving individuals and incorporating them into the Church.

Explore:

In our journey of faith the Holy Spirit guides us in following the Map which is God's Word.

Explain: Acts Chapter two reminds us of the Spirit's course corrections for our preaching, teaching, and living the Gospel.

1. Keeps us going the right direction. Acts 2.1-21

In Acts 2.1-11 The Holy Spirit comes upon the Apostles. Not merely for miracles or to provide parlor tricks. The purpose of the Spirit is to keep the Church focused on the saving message of Jesus…which issue Peter takes up in his message that day.

Acts 2:14–21 ESV

14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. 15 For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. 16 But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: 17 “ ‘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; 18 even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. 19 And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; 20 the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day. 21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

1.1 Focused on the Message not the Messenger.

1.2 Following Biblical Guidance not Guesses.

2. Insures we are following the right design.

Acts 2:22–35 ESV

22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— 23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. 24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. 25 For David says concerning him, “ ‘I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; 26 therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope. 27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption. 28 You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’ 29 “Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, 31 he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. 33 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. 34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, 35 until I make your enemies your footstool.” ’

Maps can be traps unless they are…Recent, realistic, and reviewed. Most of us have seen early maps of North America which don’t look anything like how it really is. People made life and death decisions based upon their readings of badly designed, obsolete, ideologically driven maps. The Holy Spirit insure that the designer of the Church gets His way in the design of the maps which lead us home.

2.1 Old Testament Hope.

2.2 New Testament Reality

This Jesus

The Promise of God fulfilled.

The Purpose of God achieved.

3. Guarantees we arrive at the right destination.

Acts 2:36–41 ESV

36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” 37 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?” 38 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. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” 40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

3.1 We must be Convicted.

3.2 We must be Compelled.

3.3 We must be Converted.

Continuing to follow:

Discipleship in the Gospels is a journey. There is near constant movement, literally and figuratively. Jesus, God-in-flesh, the Incarnate Word, God's fullness in bodily form was right there at the head of the band.

What has changed? The person of the God-head who is present, and the place He is present. He is the animating Spirit which makes the body of Christ the Body of Christ.

If you want Jesus, if you want to follow Him today: you better get the direction, the cargo, and the destination right. This is an invitation. You may think it's a short one, but it's all you need if you are hearing the Gospel, following the Spirit, and submitting your life.