Pentecost

May 15th, 2022

Series: The Book of Acts

Sermon Title: Pentecost

Topic: Journey through the book of Acts.

Key Passages: Acts 1: 4-5, John 14: 15-31, John 16: 13-15, Matthew 3: 16-17, Acts 2: 1-13, Genesis 11: 1-9

Sermon Blurb: Fully understanding God is impossible, but it does not mean we should not strive to learn. In this message, we begin the deep dive into who is the Holy Spirit and what is the Holy Spirit’s role in our lives.

Holy Spirit truth nugget:

Sermon:

Family Moment

Welcome back to week #3 in our series called simply The book of Acts!

Which is simply a journey through the book of Acts!

If you are new, or newer to Family Church, first off we are so happy you are here, and let me catch you up so you do not feel like an outsider.

Because no on likes feeling like that!

Two weeks ago we opened up the book of Acts with Dr. Luke telling us why he wrote the book of Acts.

Which was Dr. Luke telling us about how Jesus had died and then rose from the dead.

With Dr. Luke telling us Jesus gave TONS on convincing proofs it really was him.

Then how Jesus told his followers to go to Jerusalem and WAIT for a gift….

Actually, let me show you that in your Bibles….because that DIRECTLY ties to what we will read today!

Acts 1: 4-5 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.”

Few things to note here….

This is after Jesus’ death

And note….Jesus is alive well and eating with people!

So, Jesus has his REAL body again!!!!

So REAL Jesus…. Is there with his followers….and he says… look in your Bibles…..

“Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.

Let’s go slowly here because it is important….

What is Jesus talking about?

I mean Jesus taught them all kinds of stuff over the last 3 years.

Well……

Yes….Jesus taught them all kinds of stuff over the last 3 years

BUT

BUT are only 2 things during those 3 years that Jesus said were coming in the future…..

Does anyone want to guess what those two things were????

1. Jesus return…which the Bible talks a lot about coming after the life, death and resurrection of Jesus…

2. The second one was this promise gift.

a. This gift with the name, “Holy Spirit.”

b. And Jesus taught about the Holy Spirit many times.

c. Let me show you one where it is SUPER clear

John 14: 15-31 Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit

As you are getting to John 14….let me share some things here.

In two weeks we are going to send that whole service talking about the Holy Spirit, Jesus, and God the Father.

How they are one.

How they are the same.

Yet how they have different roles.

How the Holy Spirit, Jesus, and God the Father were there at the start and will be at the end.

Because here is what I have realized as I went through life.

See I grew up in church like a lot of you.

And growing I don’t remember much being said about the Holy Spirit.

I mean let’s be honest…..

When I grew up the Holy Spirit was treated like the weird step-uncle in the family that everyone avoids.

Like the weird step-uncle, you avoid talking about him.

You avoid him if he is in the room.

You pretend, and kind wish, he didn’t exist.

The only time you talk about him…is when you’re talking about how weird he is and so on….

Now maybe your upbringing was different and that is great if it was!

But let me say this…..

I know I lot of us might not want to admit it as adults.

But we don’t really know who the Holy Spirit is.

We don’t really know what the Holy Spirit’s role is in our lives.

I mean think about this…..

How often do you pray to Jesus or God the Father…..

Your probably thinking…..

Ya….I start out most prayers with God or Father….or Abba….

Ya….I end most prays with in Jesus name….

PAUSE

When, if ever, have you prayed to the Holy Spirit?

And if the answer is….no idea….or a long time…..

Odd are….you are in that camp where you don’t really know what the role the Holy Spirit has in your life…..

And if that is you….that is OK!!!!!

Because in this series you are going to learn a LOT about the Holy Spirit!

PAUSE

Let’s go back to me……

As an adult…..before I was in ministry… If I am being honest……I still thought the little of the Holy Spirit.

I thought Pentecostal people were all weirdos….because that was what I heard growing up!

Then as adults, God sent me and my wife all over the place…..and we land in the state of Missouri…..and we cannot find a good church….

And then we hear about this little church plant in a YMCA by us…

We go….

We fall in LOVE with the church….

And later find out it is a Pentecostal church!!!!

And we learned….how….Pentecostals are not all weirdos!

They just believe some stuff about this third person of the trinity….

The Holy Spirit…

That I honestly know VERY…… LITTLE….. about.

PAUSE

Now if you grew up in a Pentecostal church….like Pastor Keith if you are not aware….

You might think all that I just said was crazy!

But hey….just sharing my story….

PAUSE

I think it is pretty cool how on staff we have Reformed Pastors, Pentecostal pastors, Baptist pastors, and so on!

And we all get along!

Just like in our church how we have Catholics to Pentecostals and everything in between and we ALL get along!

Because we should!

Because Jesus brings us together!

And soon you will see that the Holy Spirit also brings unity NOT division….

PAUSE

But if I were a betting man….I would bet there are a LOT of you listening to this message that does not know a lot about 1/3 of the Triune God you are trusting with your salvation….

And I know there are some really churchy words that in that….

But come back in 2 weeks and we will explain what Triune and all this means in DEEP detail for those who are confused….

BUT STOP and think about that!

There are a LOT of you listening to this message that does not know a lot about 1/3 of the Triune God you are trusting with your salvation….

How have we gone so far in our lives not caring about that?

Isn’t that a little worrisome?

Anyone out there excited to learn more about the Holy Spirit today and as we walk through this series…..

PAUSE

Now it might make sense why in your sermon notes there is a BIG blank area that says

Holy Spirit truth Nuggets:

That is there for you to write down all kinds of stuff today that you are going to learn about the Holy Spirit and throughout this series you are going to keep getting new Holy Spirit truth nuggets….

And by the time we are well into Acts, I think a lot of us will know who the Holy Spirit really is!

So with that long introduction….let’s learn from Jesus what he already taught us…..

John 14: 15-31 Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit 15 “If you love me, keep my commands.

We talk about that a lot as a church….

Jesus, and God the Father in the Old Testament, say this a LOT!

It is important we OBEY God’s commands.

It is important we learn our Bibles so we can live our Bibles.

Because we show God we love him by the way we LIVE our HIS commands!!!!

16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—17 the Spirit of truth.

Pause here…..let’s think about this….

So Jesus will ask the father….AKA in the future….AKA what we are now reading about in Acts 2 to send someone.

Circle these words….here are some things the Holy Spirit will do….

And the Father will send an advocate

What is an advocate? It is a person who PUBLICALLY supports or recommends a particular cause or policy…

A helper

Someone who is going to help followers of Jesus.

An eternal helper

Now that is interesting…..So this person will be eternal….that is different…and really narrows down what Jesus means…..

The Spirit of truth……

Ah….there is the name….. note the capital S…

So this person is called Spirit.

Spirit of truth……

What does that mean?

Great question!

And Jesus answers that question later in his life! Flip over to John 16… let me show you….

John 16: 13-15 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth,

Again, note the FUTURE tense….

he will guide you into all the truth.

What does that mean though….. How will he do this???

He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”

Ok…..so here we see….the Spirit is speaking to behalf of Jesus.

And not only that but that he will even speak to us about FUTURE events…do you see that!

And not only that…..he will make know to us…..

AKA Spirit will help us understand things we cannot understand…

PAUSE

Do you see church…..

PAUSE

Ok, go back to John 14 and let’s keep reading.

The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him.

Ok, don’t miss that….

The world will not like the Spirit just like they did not like Jesus.

We will not physically see the Spirit, unlike Jesus.

But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.

Ok, so like Jesus we will KNOW the Spirit.

But somehow the Spirit will live inside us.

And be with us…..

And when Jesus said that I am sure they were all thinking…ummmm how?

And they will not learn that until much later in Acts 2!!!!

Let’s keep reading….

18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.

Pause here for a minute….

Again when Jesus said this he was still alive and well!

They had NO idea Jesus was going to die.

No idea Jesus was going to raise from the dead!

No idea Jesus would hang out with them raised in his old body for 40 days and then ascend back to heaven in their presence….

All the stuff he said right here came true!!!!

20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.

Again, how will Jesus be IN them….

Through this new person called the Spirit!

Trinity…right here…..

21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”

Again… the importance of learning God’s commands and living them out!

And I love it because who responds? Come on look at your Bibles.

Judas!

The follower of Jesus who was FAKING his belief in Jesus!

22 Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?”

23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

AKA Judas I know you’re a fraud but God has a purpose for you.

PAUSE

Are you a fraud?

Are you just playing at being a Christian for your parents?

Are you faking it for your fiancé?

Are you faking it for your spouse?

Are you faking it for some other reason or person?

Understand….God knows….

He knows your heart….

And I can promise you….faking it is SOOOO MUCH WORK!

Actually being a REAL follower of Jesus is so much easier!

But that is another sermon…..

Verse 25….here is more about the Holy Spirit’s role…..

25 “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

Ok…so the Holy Spirit…there we get the full name….

The Holy Spirit will be sent by God the Father in the future.

The Holy Spirit will teach us ALL things.

Not SOME things ALL things.

AND the Holy Spirit will remind us of EVERYTHING Jesus said.

That is a TALL order!!!!!

Let’s keep reading….

27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. 28 “You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’

AKA death and resurrection….

If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.

AKA ascension….

Do you see how clear it all is church when you know the whole picture?

29 I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe.

Like how we can….because we can read this and see when it happened!

30 I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me, 31 but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me. “Come now; let us leave

PAUSE

Go back to Acts 1….who knows if we will even get into Acts 2 today!

Acts 1: 4-5 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.

That all should make a LOT more sense now…..

And hopefully, have a much deeper meaning for all of you.

Ok verse 5…

5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

Ok….what does that mean?

I think most of us know Baptism is about water.

But what is this whole “baptism in the Spirit.”

Because again….there are a MILLION different takes on this!

I mean some people say, because of what we will see soon in Acts 2, that is means you will speak in tongues!

And that if you DO NOT speak in tongues you have NEVER been baptized by the Holy Spirit…..and you are going to hell, not heaven.

So, is that true?

PAUSE

Not going to answer that…. yet!!! Stay tuned because the Bible will answer that question!

PAUSE

Others say this “baptism in the Spirit” means that in some MAJOR way the evidence of the Spirit now living in you must be manifest on the SPOT or you’re not in.

Like you must speak prophecy on the spot

Or you must translate tounges on the spot

Or a number of other things…..

Things that if you are new to church you are thinking WHAT IS HE TALKING ABOUT!

Stick with us…..

I promise you will learn in time!

I promise you that if you grew up Pentecostal you are going to learn a lot in the coming months that might challenge you!

I promise you that if you grew up outside the church, you are going to learn a lot in the coming months about who God FULLY is.

I promise you that if you grew up Reformed you are going to learn a lot in the coming months that might challenge you!

I promise you that if you grew up Baptist, Wesleyan, Catholic or any other tradition…..you are going to learn a lot in the coming months that might challenge you!

PAUSE

Here is what I want to say here…and we will unpack this more as we go through the book of Acts.

When Jesus was baptized with the Spirit we see the FIRST example of what this means and does NOT mean.

Every church tradition will agree that when in Matthew 3 Jesus is baptized by John the Spirit was poured out upon him.

Let’s look at this

Matthew 3: 16-17 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

The Spirit in a bodily form like a dove descended on Jesus.

The Bible doesn’t say Jesus then spoke in tongues or did anything else through this new power of the Spirit in Him.

NO church tradition disagrees about that.

Literally….. NONE.

Now in Acts 2 we are going to see something similar and different to what happens here…..

PAUSE

Let’s finally get to that! Move in your Bibles to Acts 2….which is the focus of today’s message…that we are getting finally!

Acts 2: 1-4 The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues x as the Spirit enabled them.

Ok, stop reading there for now….

So…. There was a different phenomena at Pentecost.

Sound of wind…

Tongues of fire, whatever that means.

BUT the act was the same: the Spirit came, just like with Jesus.

The Spirit filled the disciples in a miraculous way just like with Jesus.

The Spirit gave them great power just like with Jesus….

Because right after Jesus was baptized he went into a 40 day fast and then was tempted by the Devil and this filling of the Spirit is what helped Jesus endure that!

The power these disciples got was different from Jesus….

Here and I say here to emphasize something.

Throughout the Book of Acts, we will see different reactions when people receive the Holy Spirit so we should not conclude that any ONE particular pattern is the only way God sends us His spirit.

If you want to see that just keep reading in the book of acts!

We will get to it in time!

PAUSE

But here we are 10 days after Jesus’ ascension and the early church is gathered…..

The early church at this time is small….

Anyone want to remember how big it was?

Yes, 120 people!

And the Bible says in verse 1….they were ALL together!

And those 120 believers experienced the same power through which Jesus carried out his ministry!!!!!

That is the key here NOT tongues!

They ALL now have the power Jesus had!

PAUSE

What a lesson for us …

Wait.

Don’t rush off into ministry unprepared.

Don’t carry on the Lord’s work in the strength of the flesh.

The ONLY way we can fulfill Jesus’s mission is by being empowered by the Holy Spirit!!!!

Actually write that down…it is the ONLY point today.

The ONLY way we can fulfill Jesus’s mission is by being empowered by the Holy Spirit!!!!

Repeat

We cannot do this on our own!

And Jesus knew that….which is why during Jesus ministry life he said that!

Go back to where we started today in John!

That is what Jesus said!

That is why Jesus repeated that after his death and resurrection!

Because Jesus knew we would try to run ahead and conquer the world!!

And Jesus knew without the Holy Spirit inside us….

We are doomed to failure…..

Just like Jesus…..his ministry did not start until AFTER he was filled with the Holy Spirit as well…..

PAUSE

Some of you wonder why your business has never taken off.

Some of you wonder why your career has not taken off.

Some of you wonder why you can’t have kids or your adoption keep falling through.

Some of you wonder why you cannot get the grade.

Some of you wonder why you cannot get the girl or guy.

Maybe your problem is quite simple.

Maybe you are striving for the WRONG thing!

And we strive for the wrong things when we are not striving for what God has for us!

And I know….that can be hard to take when it comes to some things….

Like kids…..how I can say kids would not be God’s plan for me because I want it!

Well…God knows things in life that you do not.

And right now…..might not be the right time for you!

I know it is hard….but do you trust God?

Do you trust God with your business or career?

Do you really trust his timing is better than yours?

PAUSE

Church……remember the reason why Jesus sent us the Holy Spirit.

To teach us…..these deep things in the Bible….

To help us….and sometimes helping us is helping us AVOID what actually is NOT best for our life….

To guide us to TRUTH…

Truth as defined by God

NOT truth as defined by your will or mine.

NOT truth as defined by culture.

NOT truth as defined by politicians.

And sometimes…..truth is hard…but that does not mean it is not truth.

PAUSE

I am sorry….today is a LOT to take in!

And we are only 4 verses into Acts 2!

Are you all tracking with me…..

Anyone want one last cool nugget today or does anyone want to hear something hilarious in the Bible? Anyone?

Let me give you both….verse 5

Acts 2: 5-13 5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound,

What sound?

The crazy wind of the Holy Spirit…that sound…

And this tongues thing….now what is that????

Well, you are about to see….

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, 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!”

Ah…..so tongues is some kind of amazing power where God allows someone to speak in a langue they do NOT know!

Yes!!!!

That is exactly what it is right there!

This is not some crazy babbling in a language no one knows, don’t miss that……

This right here is these 120 people having the Holy Spirit descend on them and they start speaking….

Shouting…..

Praise God…..

And everyone hears them and comes to see what is going on….

And everyone is SHOCKED!!!!

Because these people are from ALL over the world….

And these regular people are speaking in the native language of ALL these people….declaring the wonders and goodness of God!!!!

AMAZING!!!!

Crazy…….

Bewildering…..

I am sure some of you are thinking right now…..that is impossible.

And you are 100% right it is…..unless God shows up!

PAUSE

Now let me quickly give you one thing to study for those of you who love deep stuff!!!! Then I will get to the funny part…..

Who remembers what happened at the tower of babble?

Let me show you something, I doubt most of you have EVER thought about!

Genesis 11: 1-9 Now the whole world had one language and a common speech.

Do you realize at one point there was only 1 langue? And no it was NOT English!

Ever thought about that when you read this story?

2 As people moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar l and settled there. 3 They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. 4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.”

Now listen to what comes next…this is crazy!

5 But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. 6 The LORD said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. 7 Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.”

Do you see that!

One language would allow them to do ANYTHING!

If everyone can communicate to each other NOTHING is impossible!

8 So the LORD scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. 9 That is why it was called Babel z—because there the LORD confused the language of the whole world. From there the LORD scattered them over the face of the whole earth.

Think about what you have learned today….with the TRUTH God just spoke….

God…..is the one who made multiple languages….

God did that to keep us from becoming like Him from our evil desires…

Fast forward thousands of years…

We get to the book of Acts………

God sends the Holy Spirit…..

And what is the first thing we see the Holy Spirit give us?

Look at it church….

What is it!!!!

The Holy Spirit gives us the ability to communicate to all people again!

The Holy Spirit gives back to us the ability to do the impossible!

Impossible NO longer applies to these Jesus followers!

Now these Jesus followers can do the impossible…..

And NOT by their power!

By GOD’S Spirit who lives and works through them!!!!

INCREDIBLE!!!!!

LONG PAUSE

And on the heals of such incredible things…..comes God’s humor….

God is hilarious if you are not aware….Verse 12

Acts 2: 12-15 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”

I mean everyone is blown away by God…..

13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.” 14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15 These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning!

Do you see it church!

Peter says come on….you guys know we are not drunk!

It is only 9 AM!

Now if it was 5 PM….and we were in Margaritaville….ya probably we would be drunk….

Ok….I find that funny!!!!

But we need to wrap this up…..we will dive into that more next week!

Let me give you your life application today…..

Life Application: Take some time this week and really think about: Who do you think the Holy Spirit is? What do you think the Holy Spirit’s role is in your life? Discuss with someone else.

Let’s Pray…..