Amazed And Confused Series

AMAZED AND CONFUSSED

Text: Acts 2:5-13

Introduction

1. Illustration: When you strip it of everything else, Pentecost stands for power and life. That's what came into the church when the Holy Spirit came down on the day of Pentecost. – David Wilkerson

2. Last week we talked about how the power of the Holy Spirit was poured out on the believers on the Day of Pentecost.

3. Today we are going to see how the power of the Holy Spirit impacted them.

4. We see three things happen…

a. Power of the Holy Spirit At Work

b. The Gospel is for Everyone

c. Two Reactions

5. Read Acts 2:5-13

Proposition: The power of the Holy Spirit empowers us to fulfill the Great Commission.

Transition: First, we see the…

I. Power of the Holy Spirit At Work (5-8)

A. Hear Their Own Languages

1. The impact of Pentecost was just beginning. Luke tells us in vv. 5-6, “At that time there were devout Jews from every nation living in Jerusalem. 6 When they heard the loud noise, everyone came running, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers.”

a. Like I mentioned last week, there were Jews from all over the Roman world in Jerusalem for the Pentecost festival.

b. Although the word “living” usually refers to those permanently living somewhere, it can also refer to those staying temporarily.

c. Even the great Jewish historian Josephus testifies that large numbers of pilgrims would descend upon Jerusalem for the festival.

d. So, we have people from all over the Roman world who were staying in Jerusalem, and the fact that they all spoke separate languages indicates that they were from all over.

e. Scores of people heard all the commotion going on with the believers and they came running.

f. Luke says they were “bewildered” that they heard the disciples speaking in their own language!

g. It’d be like us all going to Ohio, and everyone was speaking Georgian!

2. Then Luke continues telling this incredible story. In vv. 7-8 he tells us, “They were completely amazed. “How can this be?” they exclaimed. “These people are all from Galilee, 8 and yet we hear them speaking in our own native languages!”

a. Luke tells us these people were all completely amazed! They asked, “how can this be?”

b. Now, we need to pay close attention to what happens next, they say, “these people are all from Galilee!”

c. Now, the Jews in Galilee were looked upon as middle eastern hillbillies!

d. They had a strange accent even to those who spoke Hebrew and Greek. It’s like telling someone, “Y’all talk funny!”

e. If you recall, when Peter was following behind Jesus after his arrest, he was found out because of his Galilean accent.

f. So, not only were they amazed that were hearing them speak in their own languages, but it was Galilean’s that were doing it!

g. God was breaking though stereotypes, and he was enabling these disciples to do something that they were totally incapable of doing.

h. These were people who were looked down upon whom God was using to do something miraculous!

B. You Shall Receive Power

1. Illustration: Pentecost is a celebration of God... a celebration of God's power... a celebration of God's desire to empower us and to dwell within us. – Mark Hart

2. The power of the Holy Spirit empowers us and enables us to do things we are not capable of doing in and of ourselves.

a. “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8).

b. Jesus promised us that when the Holy Spirit comes upon us, we would receive power.

c. Power to be his witnesses.

d. Power to be his evangelists.

e. Power to be his healers.

f. Power to be his prophets.

g. You might ask, “how can we do all those things? After all, we’re just a little country church, right?”

h. No, we are not “just” a little country church! We are a little country church that can reach our community with the power of the Gospel, through the power of the Holy Spirit!

i. We are a little country church that can do the impractical, the impossible, and experience the unbelievable through the power of the Holy Spirit!

j. We are a little country church that can transform our community in Jesus’ name!

Transition: Next, we see that…

II. The Gospel Is for Everyone (9-11).

A. Here We Are

1. Next, Luke tells us that these visitors to Jerusalem said, “Here we are—Parthians, Medes, Elamites, people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, the province of Asia, 10 Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, and the areas of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome.”