“pentecost: The Working Of God’s Hand To Unlock The Door Of Heaven” Series

“PENTECOST: THE WORKING OF GOD’S HAND TO UNLOCK THE DOOR OF HEAVEN”

Acts 2:1-47

Dorn Ridge June 8, 2014

INTRODUCTION:

1.) Today, many churches are celebrating Pentecost Sunday.

2.) Pentecost is really more of a New Testament term, but the Jewish festival was regularly observed for about 1,500 years before Christ.

A.) In the Old Testament Feast of the Harvest, or the Feast of weeks were the more common terms used for the celebration.

B.) By the time of the New Testament, this feast was more commonly called “Pentecost” mainly because of the influence of the Greek language and culture.

ba.) The word “Pentecost comes directly from the Greek word: “pentēkostḗ” or perhaps more correctly “pentēkostḗ hēmérā” which means 50th. day.

bb.) This feast received this name because it was held 50 days after the feast of Passover.

C.) Today, I would like us to briefly look at Pentecost from from the Old Testament perspective.

ca.) Because of the new and greater meaning that is ours, because of that Pentecost after the resurrection of Christ, I will focus primarily on that.

I. THE JEWISH PEOPLE PLACED GREAT IMPORTANCE ON THIS CELEBRATION.

1.) It was instituted by God.

A.) Pentecost was one of three festivals that were considered of such importance that the Jewish men were expected to be present to observe it if at all possible.

aa.) All three of these feasts (Passover, First fruits, and Pentecost) occurred in the Spring.

ab.) The Jewish calendar differs from ours, but on our calendar these events would have been between March

and June.

2.) The celebrations had great significance to the Jewish people.

A.) According to Jewish tradition, it was on this date that God have given the Old Testament law or Covenant to Moses on Mt. Sinai.

aa.) Though the feast was a harvest celebration, it was also a time when Jews acknowledged the giving of the Old Testament covenant as well.

II. PENTECOST AFTER THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST.

1.) The miraculous working of the Holy Spirit.

A.) There came the sound like the blowing of a mighty wind.

aa.) Acts 2:1-2

ab.) I want you to notice it was only the sound of a mighty wind; The Bible does not record there was an actual

wind.

B.) There was the appearance of what looked like tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on the

Apostles.

ba.) Acts 2:3

bb.) As with the sound this spectacle does not seem actual tongues of fire, but what looked like tongues of fire.

C.) All of them (that is the Apostles) were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in tongues.

ca.) Acts2:4

cb.) I see this speaking in tongues as being done at this point exclusively by the Apostles.

cba.) In later times of the early church it was carried on by others within the church as well.

cbb.) But at this point it seems to have been to give credentials to the Apostles, and to fill them with

the very words of God for the people.

D.) Today, this miraculous display of God’s power is often seen as the main event that happened on Pentecost.

da.) Really this was a secondary event whose purpose was not for glorification in and of itself, but to give credentials to the apostles as official spokesmen representing Jesus Christ and the authority of God Almighty.

db.) It was never meant to become the main focus of attention of what had happened at Pentecost.

2.) This Jewish audience heard the message that Jesus is Messiah they had been waiting for.

A.) Jesus was accredited by God as the Messiah.

aa.) Acts 2:22

aaa.) This accreditation was done by the miracles, signs and wonders that Jesus had performed while in this

world.

aab.) Jesus himself had previously declared the same.

.01) John 5:36

.02) John 10:24-26

3.) The Gospel (death, burial, and resurrection) of Jesus Christ was proclaimed for the first time.

A.) Acts 2:23-24

B.) Peter verified this by showing them a messianic prophecy of King David about a 1,000 years before Jesus

had come to this earth.

ba.) Peter quoted Psalm 16:8-11.

baa.) At first glance it appeared that David was referring to Himself.

bb.) Peter showed that David was not speaking of himself as the one who would rise from the grave.

bba.) Rather it would be one coming from his line who would be far greater than David ever thought of being that

would go to the grave, and then be raised again to life.

bbb.) It would be his descendant who would be the Messiah that would go to a grave, and then be raised again

to life.

bc.) David was speaking of none other than the Messiah Jesus, the Christ.

bca.) Peter proved that point to his audience.