Text: Acts 2:1-13, Title: The Explosion of the Spirit, Date/Place: NRBC, 5/27/07, AM
A. Opening illustration: Read portions of the accounts of the Great Awakenings in the 1730’s from Edwards
B. Background to passage: As you know the disciples have been waiting and praying for 10 days on the promise of Jesus. They were gathered together in a room in one accord looking for what Jesus had said would come. And being a fairly controversial passage of scripture, or rather intensely debated and variously interpreted, I want you to keep three things in mind that are the context of what takes place today. First, Jesus told them that the Spirit would come from the Father after his departure and would testify of Him (John 15:26). Second, Jesus told them that when the Spirit came, they would be endued with power in order to be witnesses to Me (Acts 1:8). Third, the Pentecost was a feast of the gathering of the firstfruits of wheat, and so God’s timing was perfect. So the two overarching jobs of the Spirit are to witness to Christ, and empower others to witness. Next week we will take a long look at the filling of the Spirit and speaking in tongues.
C. Main thought: So in our text this morning we will look at the Spirit’s coming, and the implications for us
A. It was supernatural (v. 2-3)
1. The coming of the Spirit was accompanied by signs and wonders that were meant to indicate its supernatural origin and supervision. Suddenly gives us the grand truth that the Spirit comes when He is sent by God. No indication here that the believers were praying for the Spirit. The Gr and Hb words for wind and spirit are both the same, so it is natural that the sound heard was like a mighty rushing wind. Then with cloven tongues of fire, the Spirit visibly manifested himself upon the 120.
2. Ezek 3:12-13, 37:9-10, Matt 3:11, 1 Thess 1:5, 1 Cor 2:4
3. Illustration: “The supernatural is the native air of Christianity,” “Thousands of clergy and laity lack the manifestation of the supernatural power of God in their lives because they are afraid to trust God completely,” –Leslie Summeral, the joke that if the Spirit left, some churches wouldn’t know it,
4. We can’t look upon Acts 2 as something that happened a long time ago, never to be repeated. But we must look at it as an indication of the Spirit’s power in the life of our church today. It is pretty consistent throughout history and scripture that the Spirit moves in special seasons of mercy. Acts 2 is a good pattern for revival in our day. How does it happen? The Spirit comes and moves among us. Another question that arises is: if we are those that claim to have a relationship with a supernatural being, claim to be indwelt by the Holy Spirit, how is it that we meet weekly, and rarely ever see anything supernatural? Shouldn’t the church be a hub of extraordinary activity? It is not only something for the first couple of centuries of the church. And it wouldn’t have to be fire on our heads or supersonic booms, but what if we prayed for those that persecuted us, or love one another unconditionally?
B. It was evangelistic (v. 4)
1. Again, we will talk more about tongues next week in detail, but evidently in this passage the word glossa means languages. And what took place at the Feast of the firstfruits is a harvest of souls. They began to hear the wonders of God in their heart language. Jews from every nation were hearing the gospel! And they could probably all speak Greek, but God spoke to them in a miracle through uneducated Galileans. Remember, this was the purpose of the power through the Spirit! We’ll talk more next week, but note that every time the Spirit fills someone in the book of Acts, almost immediately the Word is boldly proclaimed.
2. Rom 15:18-19, 1 Pet 1:12,
3. Illustration: “It’s a shame that the term Pentecostal Power is more associated with speaking in tongues than with world evangelization.” – Piper, “Could it be that we know so little of the Spirit in any powerful way because we care so little for evangelism?” – Michael Green, Paul Harvey said, "Too many Christians are no longer fishers of men but keepers of the aquarium."
4. Would you like to know where the power comes from to accomplish Acts 1:8? Not through the mission boards, through the Coop Prog, not through denominational leadership, nor from the church budget…but from the Holy Spirit of God. And the power is still here. If we would get full of the Spirit in our personal lives, evangelism would happen! Why, because we couldn’t help but speak of the things that we have seen and heard! If the bulk of our churches would get under the filling or control of the Spirit, the GC might be soon fulfilled. Don’t claim to be filled with the Spirit, if evangelism is not happening in your life!
C. It was transforming (v. 5-8)
1. One of the things that we will see throughout the book of Acts is that when the Spirit shows up, things get moving. Just prior to Pentecost, you had a rag-tag group of confused, scared Galilean fishermen and their friends cowering in an upper room hoping the authorities won’t find them. After the Spirit comes, their lives are completely transformed. Under the control of the Spirit they became bold and obedient. Those in the Spirit stand out from the crowd. Their lives became markedly different. Not only were their lives transformed, but the lives of those around them. 3000 people in a city were transformed by the lives of 120 believer who were empowered by the Spirit of God.
2. Acts 2:23, 4:31, 19:19, 22:1,
3. Illustration: “…so every remnant of timidity and hesitancy and weakness is swallowed up…” tell about Piper’s testimony of entering college with the plans of taking everything but public speaking, then dropping out because of fear of speaking, Oswald Chambers, John Hyde, James Hervey (friend of the Wesleys’ at Oxford),
4. As it was then, so should it be now. Those of you whose lives are under the control of the Holy Spirit will live different from those without it. The transforming, empowering presence of the Spirit will lead you to be the light of the world because of the way you structure your life. Do not be deceived into thinking that you can possess the Spirit, or better He can possess you, and your life never changes. How could one go from darkness into marvelous light without change? How could we be indwelt by the Spirit of Holiness, the third part of the Trinity, by God Himself, and yet remain without change or growth? Young people work so hard at fitting it, but the Spirit causes you to stand out! In the Spirit, excuses are silenced, priorities are reordered, doubt and fear are overcome, weakness is stepped over, and the glory of God is the only thing that matters.
D. It was revealing (v. 11-13)
1. In these verses we see the reaction of those in Jerusalem. Most were amazed and perplexed. They had never seen it in this fashion before. Others were probably indifferent, and yet others mocked and said that they were drunk. Remember that they all saw the same thing that day. This is why the moving of the Spirit is revealing, because it revealed what was already in their hearts. People who were really there to worship examined, tested, asked questions, pursued God’s moving. People who were there simply out of habit and ritual ignored or condemned a real moving of the Spirit.
2. 1 Pet 2:7-8,
3. Illustration: the same sun that hardens bricks melts butter, story of the preacher who was doing a Q & A session with HS seniors, and one question about hell degenerated into an argument, his apology, revealing her need for forgiveness
4. When the Spirit of God does truly begin to move their may be division even among the Christian community. That is what they had during the First Great Awakening in 1738. People that began to criticize the move of God upon towns and people. When revival breaks out, or the Spirit really begins to move in our midst, your heart will be tested and revealed to all. What this really means in our lives is that to some degree we have a choice as to how to respond to God, but in some aspects we have already made that decision by our attitudes and preparation prior to the actual moving of God. How do prepare your heart for worship at New River? Is it “business as usual?” If the Spirit moves in this service today, don’t harden your heart! If God reaches down and touches you, don’t blow it off. Don’t sigh as one comes to pray at this altar as though you have more important places to be. This reveals much about your heart. As a church, when are we going to feel the Spirit moving, and respond with weeping, humility, obedience, and prayer?! Deadness is stifling to the Spirit’s work among us…
A. Closing illustration: Tell and read portions of the account of the 1995 revival beginning at Coggin Avenue Baptist Church in Brownwood, TX, Howard Payne University, SWBTS, Wheaton, etc.
B. Recap
C. Invitation to commitment
