Power and Purpose

The Holy Spirit GAVE them this ability… The Holy Spirit enabled those in the upper to speak in other tongues… languages they did not know… This according to Acts 2:1-4.

Today is Pentecost Sunday! On this day we remember and celebrate God giving the church the promised gift of the Holy Spirit!

We are unashamedly a Pentecostal church! What does this mean exactly? It means we believe that God is STILL baptizing His people in the holy Spirit as He did on this day in history. Not only do we believe it… we open our hearts to receive it!

God IS pouring out His Spirit in these last days… and He is doing so for good reason. God’s Spirit was promised and then delivered to believers for a purpose… and we are going to talk about that purpose today. WHY DID GOD GIVE US HIS SPIRIT?

In the moment of salvation… when a person gives their life to Jesus, we believe the Holy Spirit moves into the heart of the now new believer. He is there as an advocate, a helper, a comforter, a voice of both peace and conviction. He is their to guide us in our walk with Jesus. This is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

But what about the baptism in the Holy Spirit? What about this distinctive doctrine that makes us a Pentecostal church? What is that all about? Similar to the story just seen in the video from Acts 2, The Holy Spirit will baptize a believer with fire or power from on high and the evidence of such baptism is speaking in tongues. Now… to be clear… we aren’t seeking for the ability to speak in tongues… but what we seek is the empowerment of the Spirit!

WHY IS THIS EMPOWERMENT GIVEN? And why is Tongues the evidence of such a baptism?

Diving right in, we see a hint at the answer in Acts 2:5-13. This takes place AFTER those in the upper room had been baptized in the Spirit.

Acts 2:5-13 reads Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, d 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?” 13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”

God, through His Holy Spirit, enabled those in the upper room to declare His glory in the languages the people would understand. HE EMPOWERED THEIR WITNESS TO REACH THE WORLD. Think of it for a moment… when that took place, Jews from “every nation under heaven” were hearing about God… THE WORLD WAS BEING REACHED.

Amazed and perplexed is how verse 12 describes the final result. Some were speechless… others were scoffers… and BOTH led to what would happen next.

But before we get there, let’s go back one chapter to further unpack why God baptized and continues to baptize His followers with His Holy Spirit.

Jesus Himself brings clarity to this conversation and we find this information in Acts chapter 1

The Purpose of the Baptism

Acts 1:4-8 is where we find Jesus giving instruction to His disciples. “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.”

Jesus instructed His disciples to wait for the gift the Father had promised. John baptized with water - a baptism of repentance, and the baptism to come was in the Holy Spirit - a baptism of power.

This power would be given for a purpose and Jesus made that purpose clear to His disciples. “You will receive POWER… and you will by my witnesses.” And note how He breaks down where these guys would be witnesses for Christ.

In Jerusalem - The city. The community. Jersualem was their immediate context. This is where they lived, worked, operated, and interacted. This was their immediate surroundings.

In all Judea and Samaria - The region. This was a large territory that Jesus was describing to His disciples. This would include multiple communities and cities within traveling distance.

The ends of the earth - This is global missions. This encompasses all lands, all tribes, all nations, all peoples.

Jesus makes clear that the power given is to help get the word out - its given so that your city, your region (state and nation), and the whole world might know that Jesus saves!

Consider for a moment how daunting of a task this might have appeared to the early church! This was LONG before bicycles, cars, motorbikes, radio, airplanes, television, internet, email, and social media. Interestingly enough… God didn’t say our power to get the job done would come from anything MAN created… the power to get the job done would come from the gift He was about to pour out!!!

“If only we had a better sound system… if only we had stronger computers… if only we had more buses… if only we had ___________________. Listen church, if all we have is the people of God empowered by the Spirit of God who desire to carry out the mission of God, THEN WE HAVE ALL THAT WE NEED TO REACH THIS WORLD FOR JESUS!

The rest are tools that help true enough… but the POWER comes from God. It’s by His power that we are His witnesses and it is by HIS POWER that hearts are transformed! If we try to “wow” this world with anything else, WE WILL FAIL IN THE MISSION.

God has given us the baptism in the Holy Spirit that we might be His EMPOWERED witnesses in our city, in our region, and all over this world. This gift was given to empower the church for the mission given to us by Christ - to go and make disciples teaching them to obey what He He has commanded us (Matthew 28:19-20). This God-sized mission requires a God-sized power to get it done.

The cross is the message. His Spirit is our power. And the world is our mission field. EVERY BELIEVER ought to be seeking this power in their life. This is a GIFT from God and our God gives REALLY GOOD GIFTS!

And yet there are many who hesitate. In fact, I have encountered more folks who were perplexed by this truth… Christians in a Pentecostal church mind you… rather than be amazed. And much of it comes down to the evidence of the baptism… speaking in other tongues.

The Evidence of the Baptism

We know why God sent the baptism in the Holy Spirit. But why is the evidence of such speaking in other tongues? Why would God use tongues as the evidence of His supernatural empowerment?

In Acts 2, we saw something remarkable and I believe it serves as a glimpse of what effect the empowered witness of God’s church would have on this world.

Remember, Scripture indicates that many languages were spoken as the Spirit enabled the disciples to do so and that “Jews from every nation under heaven” heard the disciples speaking of the wonders of God. I see this as God breaking down the barriers that might have hindered the gospel message going forward. I see this as God kind of saying, “See… through the empowerment of my Spirit… you can reach the world for Jesus.”

But does this explain why tongues is the evidence of the baptism? The baptism in the Holy Spirit results in empowered speech from the mouth of the believer. Tongues indicates that empowered speech has arrived… and we’ll break this down quickly today. But first… let’s work to unravel this “controversy” for a moment.

Tongues is often feared by believers. For one reason or another, people see it as weird or as something not for them, or as something that is a bit… unbelievable. Yet we believe that Mary was supernaturally impregnated with the Son of God who would give His sinless life for the sinners of the world and was raised to life after spending three days in the grave! We believe in this miracle yet struggle to believe that God can enable us to speak in an unknown language!

Robert Morris “The God I Never Knew” P. 148 “I believe one of the greatest tragedies of the last one hundred years of church history has been the way Satan, the enemy of the church, has successfully made this particular gift so controversial and successfully made huge segments of the body of Christ reluctant to embrace any of the empowerments of the Holy Spirit.”

The enemy desires for God’s church to be powerless for he knows what impact the empowered church would have on this land.

“Hold on pastor… I get what you’re saying but that’s not how I was baptize in the Holy Spirit. I have received His baptism… but I didn’t speak in tongues.”

My issue with these kind of statements is the emphasis on “I.” “I received the Spirit My way.”

This is like the statement “I tithe how I want to” or or “I worship and praise in my own way.” Listen friends… God has instructed on how to tithe. God has instructed how to praise. God has instructed us how to worship. You can call it what you want, but don’t call it what it isn’t. God has instructed us! And if we are going against His instruction… YOU ARE GOING AGAINST GOD. DO NOT BE DECEIVED! God has given us the way!

I’m not trying to step on toes but I caution you… if you find yourself saying this is how I do things instead of fully obeying How God has instructed to do things… then you are making this about YOU and not GOD!!! Just a thought...

Back to why tongues…

First off, the pattern in Scripture is clear. Where there is Spirit baptism, there is speaking in tongues.

There is enough Scriptural evidence that the Assemblies of God has made Speaking in tongues as the initial physical evidence a doctrine within the fellowship.

Secondly, I found this quote by pastor Elmer Kirk Fisher, once the pastor of the Upper Room Mission in Los Angles, very interesting.

“You cannot receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost unless you are cleansed by the blood, both from actual transgressions and inbred sin.” This we know to be true. Now watch this, Regarding reaching this world for Jesus, the devil might use counterfeits (false prophets) or people might personally fail in their testimonies creating road blocks for the unbelieving world. But Fisher, appealing to the veracity of the afore mentioned pattern in Acts, challenged his readers not to lower the standard of the Word of God since “those who receive the full baptism in the Holy Ghost will speak in tongues as the Spirit gives utterance always.”

In other words… where a person might fail (for whatever reason) in their witness… the POWER OF GOD MOVING THROUGH THAT WITNESS WILL NEVER FAIL!!! The tongue is now anointed and empowered for the glory of God!

Thirdly, this is a pastor Chris understanding, Jesus gave a very clear teaching regarding the tongue in Luke 6:45 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.

Jesus explains that what comes out of our mouth… is what our heart is full of. “Well, pastor that might be true for some, but not true for me” and here we go with the “I” and “me” statements again. Church, we either receive this book as truth or we don’t.

I have a sermon I have preached before that asks this question. Since the mouth speaks of what the heart is full of… WHAT SPIRIT DOES YOUR MOUTH GIVE EVIDENCE TO? Who or what is living inside you that your mouth and words reveal?

To me… when that Spirit baptism takes place… our mouth gives evidence of the Spirit empowerment within our heart. The Spirit’s fire has now come to rest upon the believer and their tongue gives evidence of that Spirit now residing in their heart.

And isn’t it interesting that James identifies our tongue as “…a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. 7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.”

No man came tame the tongue… but the Spirit of God can! With the Spirit, the tongue is no longer set on fire by hell, but is instead set on fire… EMPOWERED… by the Spirit of God Himself!

My tongue used to curse God. My tongue used to tear people apart. my tongue could do more damage to a person than a rock or a fist or any weapon ever could. But when God moved in… that same tongue was transformed and now speaks of His glory!

Peter’s tongue once told Jesus He was with Him to the end! That same tongue would later deny Christ three times to save his own skin. But after the Spirit baptized Peter with power from on high… we see something totally different take place.

The Power of the Baptism

The power is given to empower the witness of God’s people. Tongues is the evidence of what the heart is full of. The heart has been cleansed by the blood and filled to overflowing with God’s Spirit and power. But I want you to consider something that we might not hear often on Pentecost Sunday.

The Power is the Spirit true enough. But look at the POWERFUL transformations that were about to take place in Acts 2.

Remember I said we would come back to this… the response of the crowd… they were amazed and perplexed. Some saw this as incredible… others were skeptical. BUT GOD WAS ON THE MOVE.

BECAUSE OF THE SPIRIT’S POWER NOW ALIVE IN THE LIFE OF PETER, this once denier of Christ became a street preacher and he delivered a powerful and pointed message to the crowd that day.

BECAUSE OF THIS EMPOWERED WITNESS, more than 3,000 people gave their lives to Jesus that day. And remember, there were God-fearing Jews there from every nation under heaven. In other words, in that moment the work to reach their city, their region, and the rest of the world had begun because of the Spirit’s empowerment in the lives of the believers.

No internet… no social media… no radio, television, cell phones, email, bicycles, cars, air planes, or text messages. JUST GOD: His People, His Power, AND HIS REDEMPTIVE PLAN. This was GOD’S WAY. This IS GOD’S WAY. This… was Pentecost.

God has given us all we need to reach this world for Jesus.

Yes… there are man-made tools we can utilize but without the mission and the power of God, we will fail. The enemy wants us to believe we can do this without the help of the Holy Spirit because Satan knows if we try to do this without God’s help, we will fail.

Church… I charge you. We’ve got to drop this “My way of doing things” and get back to GOD’S WAY OF GETTING THE JOB DONE. We are NOT here to redefine His instruction… we are here to make disciples… “...teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:20) How can we teach it… if we struggle to live it?

We too must make sure we are obeying His ways and instruction. Jesus said don’t go until you get this power from God. Why in the world would we think we could do anything different from this instruction? WE NEED HIS POWER TODAY!

How do I receive this baptism?

First, you must be a believer. Jesus must be the Lord and Savior of your life.

Second, you receive this baptism as you would with any other gift - with open arms. Be open and receptive to what God has for you. And speaking in tongues? God doesn’t take control of your muscle movement… s the Spirit moves in… open your mouth and speak in faith. Yes church… it really is that simple.

Will you choose to receive this power?

First, you’ve got to give your life to Jesus.

Second, open your heart and receive what He wants to pour into your life.