Provision for The Mission

My Sermon is titled Provision for The Mission

We have been going through a series on spiritual gifts.

Acts 1:8

I thought it would be fitting to see where this started for the church. To see the place and purpose for these gifts.

The main text I will be preaching from is Acts 2:1-13 but for the purpose of context and clarity, I am going to read acts 1:8

Acts 1:8 ESV

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

Pray

There are many reasons people attend church or get involved in a church community.

Some people come to church or are involved in church because it’s all they’ve known. Their parents did it and so do they.

Some come because they really want to have friends.

Some come on a Sunday morning because they like good singing and good musicians. They might even find the sermon entertaining.

Some people come to clear their conscience.

Some come to make business contacts.

There are an abundance of reasons why someone would walk through our doors on a Sunday or Wednesday and then go on a retreat or mission trip with us.

Scott has said this before, and I want to make sure I say it today. Regardless of why you came today. We are glad you are here. Thank you for being here. We want people here from every walk of life.

But, our hope for all is that eventually, something will click, and you will understand and care about the true purpose for why we are here.

What does this have to do with Holy Spirit gifts and Acts 2?

This text we are going to look at marks the inauguration of the Church. People wouldn’t be wrestling with reasons to come to church if the church was never inaugurated.

Now, the original greek word for church literally means “gathering of people”, but Jesus and the apostles intentionally used it as a new concept for God’s people to identify something unique to other gatherings. Something never before seen.

Before chapter 2, and commentators agree with this, the people praying and gathering were not yet The Church. They were merely a group of people waiting and praying to become the church.

What formed the church’s inauguration wasn’t human’s crafting bylaws, or making a mission statement, or selecting new leaders, or taking up an offering.

This group of able bodied individuals were missing something… Not just something. But Someone.

Have you ever heard the saying “the party can’t start until I walk in!” The Life of the Party!?

Maybe you’ve been a part of a surprise party. Like we had for Pastor Scott last month. We couldn’t start the party until he arrived! He needed to be there. But, unlike that party, this party, this church forming party, wasn’t a surprise to the guest of honor, it was a surprise to all those praying for Him to come.

The Holy Spirit, God’s presence to us now, He is the glue that holds the church together, He is the one who sets the expectations, He is the one who moves the people, He is the one who sets the trajectory for us.

The disciples could not get started without Him!

Just like the multitude of people who might gather on Sunday mornings. They were not THE church until he walked in the door. If he isn’t there, then the church isn’t there!

For them, just like for us, when He came, He affirmed the expectation and focus for why, when, how they gather and what exactly they are supposed to do when they leave the gathering that Jesus originally gave them.

Essentially, everything was meant to testify to the glory of God seen in Jesus! Thats the mission. Thats the aim.

A lot of groups have tried to hijack the Holy Spirit and, sadly, have made little of Jesus and His mission.

Sermons from John Piper (1990–1999) Tongues of Fire and the Fullness of God

It’s a shame that the term “Pentecostal power” has for many people become more associated with speaking in tongues than with the harvest of world evangelization.

The Holy Spirit’s main concern is to make Jesus, the radiance of God’s glory, famous!

Main Idea

The Holy Spirit is God’s Provision for His Church’s Mission

This is amazing, the very thing we need to fulfill our task is not better programs, a church van, more money, greater athletes, or anything of this world.

What we need is God Himself. We need the Holy Spirit.

God’s provision for power is His very presence.

Let’s look at Acts 2 to see what it looks like when the Holy Spirit walks in the room.

First, we see in verses 1-4, when the Holy Spirit is present...

God’s Church is Empowered

Acts 2:1 ESV

1 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place.

A strategic moment and a strategic place.

God knows when he will start a movement. We do not need to be movement manufacturers because Spirit movements are decided by the Spirit.

The Holy Spirit came on a strategic day - Pentecost.

All sorts of different ethnic Jews would be present for this event.

CSB Study Bible: Notes Chapter 2

Pentecost (also called the Festival of Weeks, Lv 23:15–16) commemorated the giving of the law on Mount Sinai and occurred fifty days after Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread. Jews either made pilgrimage to Jerusalem for Pentecost or remained there after Passover.

Acts 2:2 ESV

2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.

The Spirit came suddenly and violently.

Imagine the sound’s source coming from above you in the sky, like a jet plane, and then getting closer, closer, and closer until it’s source sounds as if it is right there in the room with you.

Have you ever been in a room with a jet engine.

This powerful source of the sound is about to indwell each and every believer in the room. WOW.

Acts 2:3 ESV

3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them.

Notice the tongues as of fire “rested on each one of them”.

Acts 2:4 ESV

4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

“ALL”

Each person was individually filled by the Holy Spirit

Not just one of them or a few of them.

All where filled and enabled to proclaim the gospel uniquely. 120 people according to verse 15.

“as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

The filling of the Holy Spirit can be a tricky topic to navigate within different Christian circles.

The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Acts of the Apostles 1. The Coming of the Spirit (2:1–13)

Someone who is already filled with or full of the Spirit can receive a further filling or enabling for a particular ministry (cf. Acts 4:31). So ‘our western logical concept that something which is full cannot be filled any further is misleading if applied to the Spirit.

Holman New Testament Commentary: Acts A. Symbols of the Spirit’s Coming (vv. 1–4)

When we look at the entire New Testament teaching on the Holy Spirit, we see the word baptism associated with initial conversion and the word filling with ministry. The first seems to happen once without repetition; the second occurs with frequency as believers allow God’s Spirit to produce powerful work through them.

The fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) are fruits of those who have been baptized by the Holy Spirit (sealed; Ephesians 1:13)

The Holy Spirit filling a believer after their initial sealing occurs for the purpose of ministry endeavors. And it’s available for all believers.

Holly Spirit filling not only means that God is getting more control of the believer, but also is empowering them to do something that is not natural for them to do without His extra concentrated presence.

An important point to make here is that the working of the Spirit within the believer for some special ministry at a particular moment is never meant to cause attention and awe directed at the one being used by God.

Most people romanticize the ministry of the Spirit to resemble street magicians or mystics.

So, when the Holy Spirit is present, God’s Church is empowered

Second, we see in verses 5-11, when the Holy Spirit is present...

God’s Gospel is Powerfully Proclaimed

Acts 2:5 ESV

5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven.

Acts 2:6 ESV

6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language.

The loud transformational presence of God was noticed by people outside of the gathering and caused them to draw near.

What I love here is that the Holy Spirit came in and made a huge scene!

I know we all know of someone who’s presence is known when they walk in. They make a scene! Look at me. The Holy Spirit essentially does this, but he’s doing it because he want’s people to see Jesus.

This drew them close enough to hear the gospel for themselves.

Once close, they hear, Galileans, akin to hillbillies, proclaiming the glory of God in Christ and the gospel declared in the language of their nation. And it blows their minds! Acts 2:7-11

Acts 2:7–11 ESV

7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.”

There are 13 places mentioned. But there were probably more languages being spoken!

These people likely knew how to speak Greek or Hebrew. It likely wan’t necessary for them to hear it in their native tongue to be able to comprehend the message. But, I hope you see here that this is an act of GRACE!

The miraculous and amazing fact that they heard it in their home tongue caused them to be in awe and realize the significance of the moment. And for Many to be saved!

I’ve heard of missionaries preaching in english being understood in native tongues by those listening. One time in particular, a woman approached the missionary commenting “I didn’t know you spoke Cantonese.”

This is an opposite picture of what happened in Genesis at the tower of Babel.

The purpose of the Holy Spirit’s coming wasn’t to entertain people, but to point people to Jesus, for proclamation of the Gospel in order to convict sinners of their sins and need for Christ.

There are way too many churches attributing silly, demonic, and strange things to the Holy Spirit.

All the while the message they are preaching is not the gospel!

Some Churches in California have glitter glory parties during their praise services and claim they have an extra anointing of the Spirit only to then have the messenger take the stage and demonize the doctrine of Christ’s deity.

Jesus’ Spirit is concerned with Jesus’ Great Commission!

Notice how the nations are being reached through the empowering of the first group of believers!

When the Holy Spirit shows up, God’s Gospel is Powerfully Proclaimed

Third, we see in verses 12 &13, when the Holy Spirit is present...

God Intends for People to Respond

Acts 2:12 ESV

12 And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?”

All people encountering the phenomenon of the Holy Spirit could see something truly amazing was happening.

They just didn’t know what it meant!

Some people will respond with a magnetic pull.

Some people will respond with true faith and repentance to a movement of God’s Spirit.

1 Corinthians 14, the church is being rebuked by Paul because they missed the fact that the Holy Spirit’s presence is supposed to induce a response from people, He shows us what it should look like. 1 Cor 14:23-25

1 Corinthians 14:23–25 ESV

23 If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are out of your minds? 24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all, 25 the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you.

This is a positive example.

Some people will respond with a disgusted response. Acts 2:13

Acts 2:13 ESV

13 But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”

I’ve experienced moments where the Lord placed me in the right place at just the right time and proclaimed the gospel to someone who then received it with awe and wonder only to have them later respond negatively.

God can do something amazing for someone who realizes in the moment that it is amazing, only to go the next day in denial.

I’ve been listening to some lectures on the book of Acts. When the topic of miracles was addressed, I heard this crazy story. There was this man named David Friedrick Strouse who was a famous liberal theologian. He’s one of the heavy influencers of what’s been ironically called the “Historical Jesus Movement” ironic because it’s more mythical than it is historical.

He argued in the 1800s that miracles and what the Bible describes as miracles were myths created over multiple generations. He said that miraculous stories were not based on eye witness accounts but on myth that need to develop over time.

He had a friend named Edward Morgah - Morgah was diagnosed with a debilitating spinal problem. He could not walk.

Morgah decided to go spend time with Johan Kristof Blumehart, a German Lutheran pastor who was known for praying for people and exorcizing demons. Morgah was healed miraculously. And he wrote Strouse about it and testified to how he was now hiking in the mountains after his healing.

So, Strouse reads the letter and then proceeds to write another friend lamenting that they have lost their friend Morgah to superstition.

So, although, when the Holy Spirit arrives to the church or into a situation, people are forced to respond, THE TRUTH IS PEOPLE WILL RESPOND DIFFERENTLY.

Acts 2:41 After Peter preaches, the text says that “those who received his word” were added to the church. This implies that there were some who did not receive Peter’s words.

We never know how people will respond to the gospel when God anoints us for a witness moment or when we are gathered here and The Holy Spirit shows up. Both responses serve God’s purposes. A positive can produce salvation, and a negative will produce your sanctification.

When the Holy Spirit shows up, God intends for people to respond

I want to take this full circle.

I talked about the abundance of reasons people might attend church, or get involved in church.

But beloved, it’s absolutely important that we understand that when the Holy Spirit shows up, he has a different reason. A better reason.

Those things might be why we show up here but they are not the reason He shows up here.

His reasons for showing up are what fuel his distribution of gifts.

While we see here proclamation, as Acts goes on, we see the other gifts fulfilling the very same purpose, “Making Jesus Famous”

They are all meant to be tools for our missions.

They are all meant to testify to the accuracy of our message.

Hebrews 2:3–4 ESV

3 how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, 4 while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

They are all meant to testify because they are all God testifying!

The very next chapter in Acts, chapter 3, after Peter testifies by preaching, the Holy Spirit testifies by enabling Peter to heal a beggar.

It’s all connected to the first text I read to you.

Acts 1:8 ESV

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

We witness by word! The Holy Spirit witnesses by works!

For an Application point.

These events in chapter two came after a prayer meeting. And some would argue came during one.

September 20-21st, we will be having another day of fasting and prayer.

If you want to line up your reasons for being here with the Holy Spirit’s reasons, then I strongly encourage you to make participating in that a high priority for you and your family.