"Pick me Up" - Acts 2.1-21
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When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.
And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.
Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them.
All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.
Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem.
And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each.
Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans?
And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language?
Parthians, Medes, 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 Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.”
All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?”
But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.”
But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say.
Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning.
No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:
Intro:
There is nothing we cannot do with God’s help!
and I believe that God gives us Power for a reason!
......I believe that God pours into our lives for God’s glory!
And I don’t believe we serve a God who would not give us the ability to do those things that God requires of us
(pause and expound)
When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.
The text says.......
........On this particular occasion they were all together.
.......this can be considered as fellowship.
The occasion is Pentecost.
Pentecost is one of the feasts observed in the Jewish tradition.
It has been referred to as....
The Feast of Weeks
The Feast of Firstfruits
And it was scheduled to begin at the close of Harvesttime.
And the reason it is called Pentecost is because it began on the fiftieth day from the first Sunday after Passover....
(pause)
And the writer of the text says.......
....it was in this sheduled time that they all gathered together in “ONE” place.
(pause)
And what I find fascinating about this verse is how they are all on one accord...
Because when the text says they are all in “One Place”........
......it is not only speaking of a physical spot
.....but it’s Luke’s way of explaining to us that,
Everybody who is there is INTERESTED in being there.
Everybody who is there is CONCERNED about the same thing.
Nobody was lukewarm in their approach towards God and the things of God
(pause)
But ALL of them were there because they made up in their mind......
.......to be together in UNITY and in FAITH!
(pause and expound)
Look at it now....
And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.
Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them.
The bible says that at this scheduled time........
.........and in this Position of “ONEness”
.........there is a Divine..... .Distinction...... that is Displayed!
(pause)
And the reason Luke writes these words to his readers is because.........
.......he wants to connect an Old Testament understanding of how God’s presence was experienced
.......with what is happening as the Holy Spirit is moving in this New Testament encounter!
(pause)
And Luke says,
Suddenly........
A Sound filled the house where they were sitting
In other words......
“At once or immediately,
A sound or an ECHO completely took up all of the space in the house.....
(slight pause)
The text goes on to say that,
......the violent wind and tongues of fire appeared to them.....
.....meaning there was a visible manifestation.
(pause)
And as we mentioned earlier........
.......when the readers are hearing Luke they are seeing images that are familiar
(slight pause)
.......things that pointed their minds mentally back to Mt. Sinai in the Old Testament!
(pause)
And the text says........
.......all this happened,
“while they were sitting!”
Meaning......
...........they were patiently waiting for something to happen as they were gathered in “ONE” place.
(pause)
How do you know they were patiently waiting for something to happen Pastor?
Well, remember what Jesus said to the disciples in Acts 1.4
While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. “This,” he said, “is what you have heard from me;
And so......
......we are now finding out that the pattern for receiving power
......is to wait for the gift before we move!
(pause)
And watch this......
........there is nothing wrong with sitting patiently until the power shows up!
..........but watch this,
WHEN it approaches our lives.........
When the POWER shows up....
........sitting time is over!
(pause and expound)
Watch the text.....
All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.
The text says.......
All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit....
Began to speak in other languages...
(slight pause)
But here’s what fascinated me about this verse.....
Because the text says,
“As the Spirit gave them ability!”
(slight pause)
The significance here is that......
The Holy Spirit produced their possesion or means to be able to do something....
He GAVE them the ability!
When David was going into battle with Goliath, God gave him the ABILITY to win that fight.
When Moses and the children of Israel needed to cross over the Red Sea, God gave them the ABILITY to cross over.
When Blind Bartimaeus had no vision, Jesus gave him the ABILITY to see.
When the man with the withered hand could not utilize his limbs, Jesus gave him the ABILITY to use his hands
There are too many examples throughout God’s Word......
......where we find someone who did something they were not supposed to be able to do.......
......and the reason they were successful is because God gave them the ABILITY to do it!
(pause)
Freedom.......
..........we need to stop saying that we can’t do it!
........and we need to begin praying,
“God give me the ABILITY!”
(pause)
As a matter of fact......
I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
(pause and expound)
Am I preaching to anyone who needs God to give you.......
..........the Ability to do something?
(pause)
Now watch this.......
Jesus told the disciples in Acts 1.8
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
(slight pause)
And now in Acts 2.4...........
The Holy Spirit is fullfilling the words of Jesus........
Because......
......they are being EQUIPPED with the ability to DO what Jesus told them they would BE at the beginning of Acts.
“And you will BE my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all of Judea, and Samaria and to the ends of the earth”
(pause)
And Freedom.....
.......I have been teaching on going out to REACH our “ONE” through effective evangelism.
And the Lord wanted me to talk to somebody who may have been thinking to yourself.....
“Pastor can’t be talking to me, because I don’t have the ABILITY to do that!”
I don’t know enough scripture
I don’t have the courage to speak to people
I don’t qualilfy with my background
(pause)
But actually.........
.........If you have received Jesus Christ as your personal savior
..........You have already received the “GIFT of ABILITY” from the Holy Spirit...
(pause)
And the reason we are given this gift...........
........is because God has placed us here to “INTRODUCE the KING!”
(slight pause and expound)
Watch the text.....
Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem.
Freedom don’t miss this........
The bible says,
.....that there are some people who were dispersed who have all come back and returned and are now permanent residents here in Jerusalem.....
(slight pause)
And the first place their “ONE” was going to show up.......
........was in Jerusalem
(slight pause)
And in my spiritual imagination I hear God saying,
I’m not going to allow you to make CONTACT with your “ONE” and not give you the ABILITY to be EFFECTIVE!
(pause and expound)
Watch the text......
And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each.
Now don’t miss this.......
The bible says that,
Nobody missed this sound in the city!
..........now it aint like everybody in the city were waiting patiently like the disciples were with the expectation to hear something....
.......but on the contrary the people in the city were doing life.
(pause)
But.......
........the SOUND was so LOUD and NOTICEABLE that it drew their ATTENTION.
(pause)
And the reason I want to point this out is because..........
I don’t want anyone to think that.....
....what the Holy Spirit did in verse 2 when “He” filled the house........
.......only hit the house and missed the CITY!
(pause)
And in my spiritual imagination I hear God saying,
“What I’m getting ready to do will NOT go UNNOTICED!”
(pause)
This is too much POWER being DEPOSITED into God’s people.......
(pause)
.........The manifestation of God’s Word is too strong!
(pause)
......and when this HITS the city
.......the CITY is going to have an OPEN EAR desiring for someone e to let them know.......
“What was that SOUND?”
(pause)
Barrel: “I heard something”
As a Father.......
......sometimes in a full house like mine
.......something LOUD will fall and get my attention
.........and usually when this happens I ask this question while I’m running into the direction of the NOISE.
“WHAT was that SOUND?”
(pause)
And the bible says that in verse 6,
........the people came running to the sancturary where the disciples were to find out what this was that just happened!
(pause)
And the text goes on to say in the next few verses......
When they got there.......
.......the EFFECT of the sound that gave the disciples ABILITY was experienced...
(slight pause)
Because the bible says.....
Each and every man heard them speak in his own language.....
(pause)
And I could go into the literal details of language.......
......and how no matter where they were from who were listening
......they all heard something that was native to them and their culture....
But that’s not what God gave me to give you today......
[Optional......maybe the next time I preach this God will allow me to share that component.]
(pause)
But the things God wanted me to share with you today is the fact that.......
The Sound drew them close.......
......and the EFFECT of the sound drew them closer!
(pause)
And so our ABILITY should explain the sound.........
Our ability......
should FOLLOW what the Holy Spirit is already doing!
(pause)
And according to the text.......
When the people started hearing these disciples talk on their level
.........it blew their minds!
Because......
.........they did not expect them to be able to CONNECT with them in a way that was familiar and made sense.....
And so some of them started asking questions in verse 12 like......
........What does this mean?
And then in verse 13 some of them started making jokes saying,
...........These jokers are on that STRONG DRINK!!!
Straight Hennessy or something..........
(pause)
But watch Peter in the text...
But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say.
Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning.
No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:
Peter says.......
This aint what you think it is.........
It’s too early for all of that you talking about......
Peter says.....
Let me explain to you what’s going on......
(slight pause)
And Peter says......
“This is what has been SPOKEN!”
In other words........
God wanted this to happen!!!
(slight pause)
And because God wanted this to happen.......
God created a PLAN
.........and then EXECUTED everything God intended!
(pause)
And so Pastor..........
“What was that SOUND for?”
(pause and expound)
That sound was the Holy Spirit.............
......bringing you “The gift of ABILITY!”
(pause)
Watch this..........
Here it comes........
In verse 2 when the disciples were waiting for Power to increase their ABILITY....
.........they were patiently sitting.
(pause)
But in verse 14..........
The bible says.....
Peter and the eleven are no longer sitting..........
(pause)
And I believe in my spiritual imagination.....
.......that the reason they are no longer sitting
......is because the POWER has
“PICKED them UP!”
(pause)
And I hear God saying......
Stop sitting down..........
...........when I have given you the ABILITY to Stand!!!!!
I didn’t PICK YOU UP.........
.......for you to Sit down as if I have NOT made a SOUND!
You heard it COMING......
You SAW it happening........
When I PICKED you UP...........
You knew it was me!
Now I need you to BE MY WITNESS.......
I need you to tell somebody how I PICKED YOU UP!!!
(pause and expound............and CLOSE............................)