Pentecost: The Arrival Of The Holy Spirit

This morning I want look at what the Spirit does to transform us. Today, we are looking at a famous account inside the New Testament, called Pentecost. Let me set up our story for those of you who may have missed earlier messages. The miracle of “speaking in tongues” had worked liked shooting a flare up into the air. Now, a large crowd had gathered around the disciples and there’s all this confusion because of the incredible phenomenon. It is still the Feast of Pentecost and Peter explains why everyone has heard people speak in foreign languages that had not previously learned. Peter’s speech is on the longest in Acts coming in at 429 words in the Greek text. “No,” Peter swats away the critics by saying, “they are not drunk because it is just 9 a.m.” Essentially, Peter tells everyone the Holy Spirit has just arrived.

Look inside today’s story for two items the Spirit does in your life: 1) The Spirit makes you bold (see the second point); and 2) He makes your conscience tender to His touch (see the third point). My hope this morning is simple: I want you and I to hunger for life-changing power the Holy Spirit brings.

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He is Here

He is Alive

You Can be Alive

1. He is Here

Peter says in effect, “The Holy Spirit has arrived.”

“But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: 17 ‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; 18 even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. 19 And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; 20 the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day. 21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’” (Acts 2:16–21)

This is an incredible turning point in the history of the world for the arrival of the Holy Spirit is a game-changer.

1.1 The Spirit’s Arrival Is Included in God’s Plan

“What you just witnessed”, Peter says in effect, “was God fulfilling His promises.” The following was omitted in the interest of time: Jesus Himself had promised this very thing: “And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). In fact, Peter quotes Joel 2:28-32 in a series of three Old Testament scriptures that include Psalm 16:8-11 in verses 25-28 and Psalm 110:1 in verses 34-35. They work like pavestones you would place in your backyard to lead you on a path. He’s connecting the dots of all three to show that all you’ve see today is part of God’s plan from the beginning. Peter begins by asking everyone to remember a prophecy from the Old Testament prophet, Joel. The reason you’re seeing “tongues of fire” appear & the reason you’re hearing all these languages is because the Holy Spirit has arrived.

Did you know God has a plan in this chaotic world? Halftime in a game is a great time to evaluate how things are going and make adjustments. You may in the second quarter of life and you’re behind – way behind. Do you know how many teams have come back from big deficits at halftime? You can too. Yes, your clock is ticking but there is plenty of life left for you to adjust your game plan. As long as you are still here on planet earth, it is not too late to adjust your life to God’s plan.

1.2 The Spirit Is Spread to Everyone

We are told, “…God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh…” (Acts 2:17b). The Holy Spirit is distributed to everyone who calls on the name of the Lord (verse 21). And when Peter says, “everyone,” he means “EVERYONE!” Your sons, and your daughters will receive the Spirit (verse 17). Yes, women receive the Spirit as do men. Young and old receive the Spirit. Even the servants among us, the lowest on economic food table, will receive the Spirit. This isn’t a privilege just for the “have’s” but the “have-not’s” also have the Spirit. He is available to the religious and the non-religious, to the upper class and to the lower class. No discrimination here; every single one of you will receive the Spirit. We are told every believer is given the Holy Spirit when you turn to Christ: “And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Acts 2:21). “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38).