Are You Ready for More Power? Preparing for Pentecost

Are You Ready for More Power? Preparing for Pentecost

Pentecost Prayer:God of power,  may the boldness of your Spirit transform us, may the gentleness of your Spirit lead us, may the gifts of your Spirit be our goal and our strength, now and always. Amen.

Focal Text: Acts 1:1-8 NIV In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”

7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Introduction

On Pentecost Sunday -The Christian holiday of Pentecost is celebrated on the 50th day after the weekly Sabbath during the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Leviticus 23:15). On this day, we commemorate the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and followers of Christ while in Jerusalem celebrating the Feast of Weeks.

May 31st, we commemorate the descent of the Holy Spirit upon early Christians. Acts 2:1-4

The Holy Spirit exudes the same power for the church of today as it possessed in the early church age.

God wants YOU to enjoy the benefits of the Holy Spirit’s activity in your life.

“It is the Holy Spirit’s job to convict, God’s job to judge and my job to love.” ~ Billy Graham

God sent the Holy Spirit for you!

Let’s explore the Holy Spirit’s role in our lives by engaging the following themes in our text. God provides Information, Impartation, and Communication through the person and work of the Holy Spirit.

I. Jesus Provided Them With Information

In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. Acts 1:1-2 NIV

A. The Holy Spirit’s Introduction-I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach.The books of Luke and Acts give the accurate account of the beginning of all that Christ was to do on earth. The book of Acts would show the continuation of his work on earth through his church, his body. Those preaching the gospel, though ordinary people with human frailties and limitations, were empowered by the Holy Spirit to take the Good News “all over the world”(17:6). In the book of Acts we learn about the nature of the church and how we, like these early believers, can turn our world upside down.

B. Jesus’ Ascension- The day he was taken up to heaven. Before he “ascended to heaven,” the resurrected Christ taught his disciples for forty days. Jesus spent 40 days teaching his disciples, and they were changed drastically. By reading the Bible, we can sit with the resurrected Christ in his school of discipleship.

C. Final Instruction after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.In that short period, he gave those “chosen apostles” the instruction that would radically change their lives and, through them, the world. The fact that the apostles had been chosen by Christ is an extremely important point. With that choosing came apostolic authority to preach, teach, direct the church, and preserve the record of his life and teaching.

I. God provides Information, Impartation, and Communication through the person and work of the Holy Spirit.

II. The Followers And Apostles Received An Impartation.

3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” Acts 1:3-5 NIV

A. Jesus provided Proof.After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive.

B. Jesus fulfilled His Promise.On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about C. Jesus introduced the Baptism2 of the Holy Spirit.The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is different from water baptism and it is commonly associated with becoming a part of the Christian Church, receiving spiritual gifts, and/or one’s empowerment for Christian ministry. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

Believers are to work to spread God’s kingdom across the world. What the early church started, we must continue.

I. God provides Information through the person and work of the Holy Spirit.

II.God provides Information, Impartation, through the person and work of the Holy Spirit.

III. The People Received Heavenly/Divine Communication. The Gospel was spread to the ends of the earth.

6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”

7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:6-8 NIV

A. Eschatology- The study of the end times or the end of an age. He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.

B. Pneumatology-The study of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the trinity. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you.

C. Missiology-the study of religious (typically Christian) missions and their methods and purposes. You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

If you want changes that God isn’t making immediately, don’t become impatient. Instead, trust God’s timetable. The “power” believers receive from the Holy Spirit includes courage, boldness, confidence, insight, ability, and authority. If you believe in Jesus Christ, you can experience the power of the Holy Spirit in your life.

In conclusion, “We should be more concerned with reaching the lost than pampering the saved.” ~ David McGee

I.God provides Information through the person and work of the Holy Spirit.

II.God provides Impartation through the person and work of the Holy Spirit.

III.God provides Communication through the person and work of the Holy Spirit.

DURING election time there are fierce battles waged to win the votes of Americans. Both Democrats and Republicans blitz the media, attempting to get people to vote for their respective party. Spinmeisters and pundits alike do everything they can to let voters know where they stand. Signs, posters, and bumper stickers serve to plaster candidates names in plain view of as many eyes possible. Whether in the barbershop or in the foyer of the church, the discussion is thick about the pros and cons of each person. There is commitment to a party, to a man, and to a philosophy that is visible by the intent of efforts to persuade people to one side or the other.

As important as the American political process is, it pales in comparison to the spiritual conflict in which we are engaged. Here there are two opposing positions-two opposing kingdoms. Christians are called to be unashamed of our representative, our spokesperson, Jesus Christ. Your vote should be clear and there ought not be any ambiguity over who has it. If you name the name of Jesus Christ, somebody else, other than yourself, ought to know it.

God has called each one of His children to be public spokespersons for the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and for His kingdom, with the goal of wining folks over. we should be definitive in our purpose of calling people out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. This process is called evangelism or missions. Has your voice been heard? How is the Holy Spirit active in your life? What do you believe is the church’s greatest challenge in spreading the Gospel?