The Holy Spirit Comes (Acts 2-Gospel Project)

Transformed by the Holy Spirit

Summary and Goal

Jesus sent us the Holy Spirit that we might be empowered to believe and live out the gospel. In this session, we will see the foundational role of the Holy Spirit in our salvation. We will discuss who He is, why we should listen to Him, and how to listen to Him in our everyday lives, primarily through the Word of God. As we listen to the Holy Spirit and obey His leading, our lives will be transformed and so will the lives of those around us.

1. The Holy Spirit indwells and fills God’s people (Acts 2:1-4).

2. The Holy Spirit empowers and emboldens God’s people (Acts 2:22-24,36-40).

3. The Holy Spirit works through God’s people to grow the church (Acts 2:41-47).

Background Passage: Acts 2

Session in a Sentence

Jesus had promised to send the Holy Spirit to the disciples, and when He arrived, the Spirit filled them and empowered them to be Jesus’ witnesses.

Christ Connection

Jesus had instructed His disciples to wait for the Holy Spirit because He would empower them to be His witnesses on earth. Just as Jesus had promised, the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples, filled them, and empowered them at Pentecost resulting in about three thousand new believers. God gives the Holy Spirit to those who trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior, and the Spirit changes us to be more like Jesus.

Missional Application

Because the Holy Spirit is changing us to be more like Christ each day, we rely on the Holy Spirit as we share the gospel, call people to repentance and faith, and live in community.

Group Time

Introduction

EXPLAIN: Use the first two paragraphs on page 11 in the Daily Discipleship Guide (DDG) to paint the picture of a person showing a lack of gratitude about the Christmas gifts they receive each year.

Imagine a family member who is never grateful for his or her gifts. Perhaps at Christmas each year this person lets you know it. Sometimes it’s just a shrug—“Hmm. Thanks.” Other times it’s a direct comment—“You should’ve gotten me such-and-such instead.” Then, in an effort to finally win this person’s approval, you offer a sentimental gift based on a shared experience, and the person’s first response is “I don’t understand this.” Needless to say, such a person’s ungrateful attitude would make Christmas, birthdays, and similar occasions difficult.

INTERACT: Ask group members the following question.

Have you ever given a gift that was not appreciated? How did it make you feel?

(be prepared to give an answer of your own to jump-start the conversation)

EXPLAIN the connection between this hypothetical family member and our response to God’s gift of the Holy Spirit.

• Scripture refers to the Holy Spirit as a gift from God, but sometimes we can respond like how this hypothetical family member responded to Christmas presents. We might shrug at His existence. In our darkest moments, we might prefer a different gift. Often we simply don’t understand His purpose and therefore miss the point altogether.

• Our gratefulness for the Holy Spirit as God’s gift to us should be on display in every facet of our lives. We should celebrate His existence and, even more, celebrate that He’s been given to us. If God the Father is the giver of every good and perfect gift (Jas. 1:17), then it is incumbent upon us to receive the Holy Spirit with joy.

SUMMARIZE: Jesus sent us the Holy Spirit that we might be empowered to believe and live out the gospel. In this session, we will see the foundational role of the Holy Spirit in our salvation. We will discuss who He is, why we should listen to Him, and how to listen to Him in our everyday lives, primarily through the Word of God. As we listen to the Holy Spirit and obey His leading, our lives will be transformed and so will the lives of those around us.

Leaders, grow on the go! Listen to session-by-session training every week on Ministry Grid, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or LifeWay’s Digital Pass: ministrygrid.com/gospelproject | gospelproject.com/podcasts.

Point 1: The Holy Spirit indwells and fills God’s people (Acts 2:1-4).

READ Acts 2:1-4 (DDG p. 12).

1 When the day of Pentecost had arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like that of a violent rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were staying. 3 They saw tongues like flames of fire that separated and rested on each one of them. 4 Then they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them.

EXPLAIN: Use the first paragraph in the DDG (p. 12) to establish that the coming of the Spirit is a foretaste of the age to come—the “already/not yet” expression of God’s kingdom.

When we read Acts 2:1-4, our minds should be drawn immediately to the glorious truth that God Himself has come to live inside of us in God the Holy Spirit. The coming of the Spirit is a foretaste of the age to come, what theologians often call the “already/not yet” expression of God’s kingdom. The Spirit’s dwelling inside believers marks them as God’s temple, a preview to the world of what new creation life will be like. Thus, we celebrate the Holy Spirit because He is God living in us, leading us toward a new eternal city where there is no death, pain, tears, or division (Rev. 21–22).

• Often we read this passage and spend our time and energy arguing about the role or legitimacy of spiritual gifts such as speaking in tongues. While that issue is not unimportant, primarily we should remember that believers are all given the Holy Spirit so that we can believe, apply, and share the gospel in our everyday lives. This was the main reason Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit (John 14:26).

Commentary: “The coming of the Spirit at Pentecost in Acts 2 is best understood as paralleling those occasions in the Old Testament when God came to fill with his presence the tabernacle (Ex. 40:34-35) and temple (1 Kings 8:10-11; 2 Chron. 7:1-2). This temple imagery is confirmed by Peter’s use of Joel 2:28-32 to explain the significance of this extraordinary event … The creation of the church as the dwelling place of God involves a subtle but significant shift in emphasis. Whereas in the Old Testament God was perceived as dwelling among his people, in the New Testament he is viewed as dwelling within his people.” 1

INTERACT: Ask group members the following question.

What are some reasons we might overlook the presence and work of the Holy Spirit in our lives?

(the Holy Spirit is a mystery to us; in pride, we think we can accomplish our tasks, calling, and mission in our own power; believers and the church do not spend much time talking about the Holy Spirit)

FILL IN THE BLANKS: Provide group members with the answers for the call-out in their DDG (p. 12).

Personality of the Holy Spirit: The Bible not only affirms the full divinity of the Holy Spirit but also His personhood. Many people have mistakenly believed that the Spirit is a force or power, not a person. However, Scripture affirms His personhood by acknowledging that He is treated as a person, acts like a person, has attributes of a person, and acts in personal ways. In addition to these, the Bible also affirms that Christians relate to Him personally.

Essential Doctrine “Personality of the Holy Spirit”: The Bible not only affirms the full divinity of the Holy Spirit but also His personhood. Many people have mistakenly believed that the Spirit is a force or power, not a person. However, Scripture affirms His personhood by acknowledging that He is treated as a person (Acts 5:3; 7:51; Heb. 10:29), acts like a person (John 14:26, 15:26; Rom. 8:14), has attributes of a person (1 Cor. 2:10-11; Eph. 4:30), and acts in personal ways (Isa. 63:10; Acts 13:2). In addition to these, the Bible also affirms that Christians relate to Him personally (Acts 5:3-4; 7:51).

EXPLAIN: Reference the bulleted content in the DDG (p. 12) as you elaborate on why we should obey the Holy Spirit.

So, the Holy Spirit is a gift, but is He optional? Why should we obey the Holy Spirit?

• First, we obey the Holy Spirit because He is God.

• Second, we obey the Holy Spirit because He reminds us of the gospel.

• Third, we obey the Holy Spirit because He has sealed our salvation.

• First, we obey the Holy Spirit because He is God. As Christians, we believe that God is a Trinity—one God in three Persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The triune God has called us, saved us, and empowered us to live out the gospel (Eph. 1:3-14). We believe that the Holy Spirit is God living inside of us because of Jesus’ sacrifice to save us and claim us for His own (1 Cor. 6:19-20). God promised centuries before Jesus was born that the Holy Spirit would live inside of His people, turning our hearts of stone into hearts of flesh and faith (see Ezek. 36:24-28).

• Second, we obey the Holy Spirit because He reminds us of the gospel. God wants you to know and remember the gospel, so He sent the Holy Spirit to remind Jesus’ followers of His teachings, namely, the gospel (John 14:25-26). As believers, we may be tempted to dismiss the gospel as elementary and beneath us, but in truth, we never outgrow the gospel because we never lose our need for our Savior from sin.

• Third, we obey the Holy Spirit because He has sealed our salvation. The Holy Spirit is the down payment to secure our present and future salvation, the proof that we are connected to the Father and Jesus by faith (Eph. 1:13-14). The Holy Spirit also is the guarantee that no matter how much we doubt, how often we sin, or how hard things can be—God will never leave us. He is the promise of Jesus’ payment to save us for all eternity.

Point 2: The Holy Spirit empowers and emboldens God’s people (Acts 2:22-24,36-40).

READ Acts 2:22-24,36-40 (DDG p. 13).

22 “Fellow Israelites, listen to these words: This Jesus of Nazareth was a man attested to you by God with miracles, wonders, and signs that God did among you through him, just as you yourselves know. 23 Though he was delivered up according to God’s determined plan and foreknowledge, you used lawless people to nail him to a cross and kill him. 24 God raised him up, ending the pains of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by death.

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36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”

37 When they heard this, they were pierced to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”

38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, each 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, as many as the Lord our God will call.” 40 With many other words he testified and strongly urged them, saying, “Be saved from this corrupt generation!”

EXPLAIN: Use the first paragraph in the DDG (p. 13) to highlight the boldness of Peter’s sermon, stemming from the power of the Holy Spirit.

The gift of the Holy Spirit is the power for our Christian living and our proclamation of the gospel. Just a few weeks prior to this event, the disciples had abandoned Jesus, and Peter had denied he ever knew Him (Matt. 26:56,69-74). Now, with the Holy Spirit, they were boldly proclaiming Jesus as the crucified and resurrected Messiah and Lord.

Commentary: “In Peter’s first sermon, the essence of gospel proclamation is clear: Jesus is Lord (v. 36); he is the fulfillment of God’s promise for an eternal Davidic kingdom (vv. 29-36). This simple statement of Christ’s lordship poses a fundamental challenge both to the Jews (with their strict monotheism) and to the Romans (with their religious-political system founded on the supremacy of Caesar as lord). The resurrection is also one of the core elements throughout the gospel presentations in Acts.” 2

INTERACT: Ask group members the following question.

Why does proclaiming the gospel require boldness from the Holy Spirit?

(the gospel of a crucified and resurrected Savior upends the religious expectations of people, which invites opposition and persecution; evangelism often involves helping people see their present beliefs are wrong; the gospel is foolishness to the world, inviting ridicule)

EXPLAIN: Use the second paragraph in the DDG (p. 13) to identify the Scriptures as the primary way the Holy Spirit speaks to us.

We know we ought to listen to the Holy Spirit for direction and encouragement, but how? Many spiritual disciplines could be discussed here, but the primary way the Holy Spirit speaks to us is through the Scriptures, through which He reminds us of the gospel. Bible reading is not a “fix-all” for sin and doubt, but the Bible is God’s primary means of communication through the Holy Spirit so we resist sin and conquer doubt.

• The Scriptures figured prominently in Peter’s Pentecost sermon about the crucified and resurrected Savior. The Spirit was fulfilling His purpose of helping the disciples recall Jesus’ teachings, remember the gospel, and speak the right words so others would hear and believe.

–In Acts 2:16-21, Peter quoted from Joel 2:28-32 to justify the disciples’ preaching in multiple languages.

–In Acts 2:25-28, Peter quoted from Psalm 16:8-11 to show how David prophesied a resurrected Messiah.

–In Acts 2:34-35, Peter quoted from Psalm 110:1 to highlight Jesus as the exalted Son of God.

Application: The Holy Spirit uses the Scriptures to train us and equip us to follow Christ (2 Tim. 3:16-17). Therefore, if we want to hear from the Spirit, we must be in His inspired Word. Reading the Bible is the primary way we “listen to the Spirit”; we need to read it so we can hear the Spirit’s ordinary means for speaking to us. Read the Scriptures. Just start somewhere. Open to the Psalms and read a psalm a day. Or maybe read a few paragraphs of the Gospel of Mark. Just open it and start somewhere. If you don’t feel anything, that’s okay. Sometimes you won’t. But the Holy Spirit is still speaking. He is still putting God’s truth into your heart and mind, even if you don’t always realize it, and He will help you recall it when the time is right.

FILL IN THE BLANKS: Provide group members with the answers for the call-out in their DDG (p. 13).

Inspiration of Scripture: The inspiration of Scripture was achieved most often through the supernatural influence of the Holy Spirit through the personalities of the authors so that their writings can be considered the very words of God.

Essential Doctrine “Inspiration of Scripture”: The inspiration of Scripture refers to God’s direction of the human authors of the Bible so that they composed and recorded His message to humankind in their original writings (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:19-21). Occasionally this inspiration was achieved through dictation, where God spoke directly to the original authors. Most of the time, however, this inspiration was achieved through the supernatural influence of the Holy Spirit through the personalities of the authors so that their writings can be considered the very words of God.

Point 3: The Holy Spirit works through God’s people to grow the church (Acts 2:41-47).

READ: Ask a volunteer to read Acts 2:41-47 (DDG p. 14).

41 So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand people were added to them.

42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer.

43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and signs were being performed through the apostles. 44 Now all the believers were together and held all things in common. 45 They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. Every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

EXPLAIN: Use the first paragraph in the DDG (p. 14) to describe what the early Christian community looked like—normal people praying, eating, and worshiping together—and the growth that resulted.

This new community of faith participated in the epic story of Jesus in seemingly mundane ways—a bunch of normal folks, like you and me, praying, eating, and worshiping together. The implications of being one body united in Christ weren’t merely ethereal and otherworldly for the early Christians—they were visible and tangible in the Spirit-filled church community. And the result was the growth of the church.

Voices from the Church

“The Christian’s life in all its aspects—intellectual and ethical, devotional and relational, upsurging in worship and outgoing in witness—is supernatural; only the Spirit can initiate and sustain it. So apart from him, not only will there be no lively believers and no lively congregations, there will be no believers and no congregations at all.” 3

–J. I. Packer

• Growth of the church: Scripture and church history tell us that at specific times and places, numerical growth, even explosive growth, is a sign of God’s power to save. In this passage, we see a large number of people being saved. Right now in Africa and Asia, the church is booming numerically. No doubt, church growth can be quantified. Some might argue that measuring church growth by numbers is wrong, but here we see that sometimes numerical growth matters.

• But church growth often takes the shape of spiritual health and vitality. A small church that hasn’t grown numerically in years can be growing in spiritual maturity, doctrinal clarity, and mended brokenness. And one could argue that a healthy, spiritually growing church is the ideal ground for a church that should and must grow numerically at some point through clear proclamation of the gospel and love within the body.

INTERACT: Ask group members the following question.

How does numerical growth in the church relate to growth in spiritual health and vitality?

(both are the fruit of the work of the Holy Spirit through the proclamation of the gospel; numerical growth can encourage and invigorate the spiritual health of the church; spiritual health in the church makes for an inviting and captivating community that displays the fruit of the gospel shared)

EXPLAIN: Reference the second paragraph in the DDG (p. 14) as you explain the key ingredients for New Testament Christianity, which flow out of the Spirit’s work in our church communities.

We live in a different context than did the newly forming church in Jerusalem. But the key ingredients to church growth haven’t changed; our calling is the same. Like the early church, we are to love one another (John 13:35), sharing our lives together, and we are to go make disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:18-20), inviting others to join us in the faith and in our calling to live by and keep in step with the Spirit (Gal. 5:25).

• Salvation is of the Lord. Whatever numerical growth happens is only because God the Spirit works through the church to be the church. Therefore, we should work toward growing spiritually in the basic ways laid out in this passage and leave the numerical growth in God’s hands:

–First, the early church was devoted to the apostles’ teaching. They understood the Scriptures, believed right theology, and were devoted to the true gospel that had been preached to them.

–Second, they were devoted to fellowship and the breaking of bread. They spent time together, ate together, and lived life together. They were not solo Christians but a body of Christians.

–Third, they were devoted to prayer, thus empowered by the Holy Spirit. We don’t pray in private only. We also pray together, bearing each other’s burdens and rejoicing together when prayers are answered.

–Fourth, they held all things in common. Put another way, they shared their possessions. They didn’t draw their shades, lock their doors, and hoard their belongings. Instead, they considered their possessions as belonging to everyone in the church as others had need.

–Fifth, they were generous to outsiders and those in need. Jesus said that loving God and loving neighbor are the summation of a godly life (Matt. 22:36-40). As He taught in the parable of the good Samaritan, our “neighbor” is not just our friends, family members, or even literal neighbors; our “neighbor” is anyone in need, even those furthest from us socially (Luke 10:25-37).

–Sixth, they met at the temple for more structured corporate worship. Sometimes we think of the early church as a scattered house-church movement. While there is some truth to this, we forget that they still gathered together for larger corporate worship.

–Seventh, they were joyful and humble. They allowed the gospel to shape their affections and emotions so that they were able to joyfully and humbly love God and others.

–Eighth, they had a good reputation with outsiders. Think about it: If the seven descriptions above are true, then, of course, the church will be a light shining in the darkness of this world. For all of these reasons, God used the first believers in the church to reach many others for the gospel.

My Mission

EXPLAIN: What a joy it is to know and worship the triune God. We have a Father who welcomes us home in all of our prodigal moments, who sent His Son to live, die, and rise again so that we might obtain our eternal inheritance, and who confirmed our salvation with the gift of His Holy Spirit. If we joyfully receive and understand this gift, we will be able to live out the gospel that we confess. As we listen to the Spirit in prayer and through reading Scripture, we can know the mind of God and be equipped not only to become more like Christ but also to take His gospel to the ends of the earth.

READ the following missional application statement in the DDG (p. 15), and encourage group members to choose at least one of the options below as a way to respond to the truth of God’s Word.

Because the Holy Spirit is changing us to be more like Christ each day, we rely on the Holy Spirit as we share the gospel, call people to repentance and faith, and live in community.

• What is the Holy Spirit leading you to believe, confess, or do?

• How can your group/church embody the Spirit-directed characteristics of the early church?

• Where and with whom is the Spirit leading you to share the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ?

Voices from Church History

“For we are not … made righteous by the doing of righteous deeds, unless we deceive ourselves; but rather—if I may say so—in becoming and being righteous people we do righteous deeds.” 4

–Martin Luther (1483-1546) [LifeWay Adults (2020). (p. 14). The Gospel Project: Adult Leader Guide - CSB - Winter 2021. LifeWay Press. Retrieved from https://read.lifeway.com]