The Purpose of Pentecost (2)

The Ark Christian Church is not part of a Pentecostal denomination, but we absolutely believe in the reality & importance of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that was released on the day of Pentecost in the Upper Room, occupied by 120 followers of Jesus Christ, & persists today.

We believe that ever since the Holy Spirit was sent from Heaven, He has not left the Earth (John 14:16) and is still doing today what He did from that day - signs, wonders, miracles, healing, speaking, confirming the Word of God with power & changing lives.

Acts 2:1–4 NKJV

1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

In my nearly quarter century of doing ministry, I have found that:

Many Christians are so enamored with the Upper Room that it seems to be their only goal to LIVE there.

These same Christians often criticize their church or other churches for not being spiritual enough & for not re-creating the Upper Room experience every time they get together.

Building Shrines:

Matthew 17:1–4 NKJV

1 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; 2 and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. 3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. 4 Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

The Purpose of Pentecost was not for us to go back to find the Upper Room and camp out there.

The Upper Room was meant to be a place for us to be touched, changed, transformed, empowered & equipped to do & finish the Great Commandment of Jesus!

The end result of the Day of Pentecost & preaching Jesus was that about 3,000 people became Christians.

Today I’d like to start a short journey with you in understanding the Purpose of Pentecost.

Spoiler Alert: The Purpose of Pentecost wasn’t so that we could walk around inebriated by the Holy Spirit 24/7.

The Purpose:

Luke 24:49 NKJV

49 “Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”

Acts 1:8 NKJV

8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Matthew 28:18–20 NKJV

18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

The purpose of Pentecost was to equip us to go & engage the world with the gospel of the Kingdom, providing proof that Jesus is risen - not to provide a spiritual haven to escape from it.

For example, when we go into all the world, we are going to encounter every kind of sickness and disease - so we need the Power of God to Heal every kind of sickness and disease (Matthew 4:23)

The Purpose of Church Gatherings:

Ephesians 4:11–13 NKJV

11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;

Equipping to do the ministry (inside and outside of the church)

A consistent place to be Transformed & Converted & Grow to be like Christ. (Isaiah 2:3)

A connected community-body where members are supported, encouraged, challenged, & sharpened.

The Holy Spirit comes upon us to operate on our heart & install God’s character, and to empower us to do & enforce the will of God on earth - not simply to make us feel good, or give us a goosebump.

Some Thoughts About Pentecost Worth Considering:

There was never another Upper Room experience mentioned in scripture

The Upper Room was not turned into a weekly church gathering - it happened once

The Holy Spirit was poured out because the Father sent Him at Jesus’ request (John 14:16) - not because of the disciples’ holiness

- The Bible doesn’t tell us how amazing and perfect the 120 remaining in the Upper Room were.

- The outpouring of the Holy Spirit is not a stamp of approval on our spiritual qualification. The Holy Spirit is a free, non-works based, gift given to anyone who asks. (Luke 11:13)

- The outpouring of the Holy Spirit was as God willed, not as people willed.

The Manifestations of the Holy Spirit was not the end goal - Fulfilling the Great Commission was.

If we encounter the Holy Spirit and are not changed to the point of impacting the world around us, we have missed the Purpose of Pentecost.

The Book of 1 Corinthians was an Epistle written because the Holy Spirit was present with gifts and power in the Church at Corinth, but the church was chaotic and was struggling with being carnal & walking in love.

Just One Thing:

Let’s have a personal encounter with the Holy Spirit every day & then GO and save the world!

Discussion Questions:

What always cheers you up when you think about it?

What was your big take-away from this sermon? Share a little about why this stood out to you.

Please read 1 Corinthians 12:7, Acts 1:8, & Matthew 28:18-20 and share what you see as the point of people receiving the Holy Spirit is. If you can, please share a practical application you see for the Holy Spirit’s presence and power in and through your life.

Share something that was surprising, convicting, encouraging, or really “connected the dots” for you through this message.