Under the Influence:
Sipping Saints or Holy Boldness?
Acts 2:14-36
Intro: The believers who were gathered on the Day of Pentecost had all just been filled with the HS and had spoken in other tongues. People from various language groups understood what they were saying. Part of the reason these believers were accused of being drunk could be that the liturgy for the Day of Pentecost was expected to be done by a trained priest in the Hebrew language (which the Jews called the Holy Tongue). This might be compared to how Roman Catholics have used Latin at Mass and in their liturgy. Many people do not understand it, but it has been viewed as a sacred tongue. Using the proper language was deemed more important than having people understand what was being said. Anyway, for people to stand up in the temple on the Day of Pentecost during the 9AM prayer time and start praying and declaring God’s praise in Aramaic, Greek, or any of the other languages represented there would seem a bit out of place. In fact, it would have been profane to some of the Jews to use any other language than Hebrew for worship in the temple. So, when these devout Jews from several other nations saw these Galileans stand up and start speaking (and they actually understood what was being said), it amazed and perplexed them. Some of them thought it was pretty cool, but others thought it reflected poor judgment- the kind of poor judgment a drunk person might display- someone who does not know enough to sit down and be quiet and proper and stop interrupting the priest. “These guys must be drunk! These are ordinary men from Galilee. Here they are trying to act like priests, but they aren’t even speaking in Hebrew. They are speaking in Aramaic, Greek, and other foreign profane languages.” When we add the joy of the HS and the emotional release these Spirit-filled believers must have felt, we can see why they might have been accused of being drunk.
-Well, Peter was still under the influence of the HS when he stood up to correct the allegation of drunkenness, and he preached the gospel to well over 3000 people at once. I’d like to look at Peter’s Pentecost sermon and let it speak to us again today.
Prop: We need to be under the influence of the HS in order to boldly speak the truth.
Interrogative: Well, you might ask, “Does the HS still work that way today, and if so, how can we get in on it?
TS: Let’s look at three main elements from Peter’s sermon to find these answers.
I. God Is Pouring Out His Spirit on all Who Will Receive (2:17-18)
A. The Holy Spirit Must Be Received (Welcomed/Accepted)
-Beginning on the Day of Pentecost in the year Christ died and rose again (possibly around 30 AD) until now, God has been pouring out His HS on all who will receive. The key for believers today is to prepare themselves to receive the HS. God already has and still is pouring His HS out, but it is up to us to receive what God is doing. In Luke 24:49 Jesus told His disciples to wait in the city of Jerusalem until they received the HS, which the Father had promised to send.
-This brings up a question for us today: How can we increase our receptivity of the HS? How can we foster a greater openness to all that God wants to pour into our lives? Well, one thing we can do that these early believers did is to pray. Acts 1:14 tells us 14”They all joined together constantly in prayer.” We talked about this a few weeks ago, but it tells us at least 2 things they did that helped prepare them to receive the infilling of the Holy Spirit: 1) They joined together, and 2) They prayed. I wonder what would happen in Elgin if believers started joining together and praying on a regular basis? I’m not talking about a casual get-together Good Samaritan club. I’m talking about people coming together for the sole purpose of seeking the presence and power of God. What might happen?
-Well, one thing that must happen to increase our openness to the HS is that we must come to a place where we trust God. If we don’t trust that God wants to give us what is best for us, then we won’t be very open to receive the infilling of the HS. Every good and perfect gift comes from our heavenly Father. He doesn’t give bad gifts. He wants us to have the very best. That is why He sent Jesus. That is why He sends the Holy Spirit. So let’s trust Him completely and eagerly embrace the gift of the Holy Spirit.
B. The HS Enables People to Prophesy
-One result of God pouring out His Spirit is that normal people will prophesy. It doesn’t have to be a priest or a special prophet who prophesies God’s truth. Women, men, and even children can be used by God to declare His love and what He has done. However, prophecy is more than just speaking truth. Anyone can say something that is true, but it may not really have an effect on anyone around. We need the power of the HS in order to boldly speak God’s truth in love. Only the HS can make the truth penetrate the hearts and minds of those who hear it.
C. Prophecy Is an Essential Outlet for the Gospel
-What does it mean to prophesy? It doesn’t necessarily mean telling something that is going to happen in the future, although it can refer to that. Prophecy happens when a believer declares the truth of God’s word through the power of the HS. That is why Peter referred to Joel 2, where God says He will pour out His Spirit on all people, and they will prophesy. The Holy Spirit is essential to prophecy, and He uses prophecy to speak the truth to believers and unbelievers. When believers hear words of prophecy, the purpose is generally to build up the whole body of Christ and to center our focus on Christ. When unbelievers hear words of prophecy, the purpose is to declare God’s love. God’s love is so great that He wants to warn the lost about the direction they are headed and draw them to Himself. The Gospel brings a warning and an invitation. The warning is that whoever does not receive God’s answer for man’s sin problem is doomed. There is eternal punishment that awaits all who reject God. However, the invitation is that of a loving Father, saying, “Come home. I love you and want to give you a life worth living.”
-Now, Peter, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, gave both warning and invitation in His prophecy. One thing we notice in His sermon is that He talked a lot about Jesus. He said, 22 "Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. 23 This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. 24 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him…. 32 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. 33 Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear…. 36 "Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."
-Prophecy talks about who Jesus is and what He has done and can do for us. Peter warned his listeners about their sin of rejecting God and told them that the same Jesus they had killed was the One God had sent to save the world from their sin. Jesus is the Messiah that Israel has been waiting for! “Christ” is the Greek word for “Messiah,” meaning “Anointed One.” This prophecy that Peter gave by the power of the HS had an awesome effect on the listeners. In fact, 3000 of them believed on Jesus that day and repented of their sins. Could Peter have created such a response himself? Absolutely not! It was the influence of the Holy Spirit that made the difference!
-Folks, we need to be under the influence of the Holy Spirit. We need to stay in right relationship and close fellowship with Jesus, so the HS can work through us. God is still pouring His Holy Spirit on all who will receive. How about you? Are you a receiver? Do you desire to be filled with the Holy Spirit and receive the power to boldly speak God’s truth? God is still doing it! Let’s do it His way and let Him fill us!
-TS: Well, something else that Peter said while under the influence had to do with God’s activity in the last days. Let’s look at it.
II. God Is Showing Signs & Wonders to Signal the End of Time (2:19-20)
19”I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 20 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.”
-There are a number of things we could talk about here. This sounds kind of like a description of war. War is no new thing. It is certainly not an end of time phenomenon. However, we do read that there will be “wars and rumors of wars…. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places” (Matt. 24:6-7). We could certainly argue that many of these things are already happening and they serve as signs to us that the end is getting closer. Matt. 24 goes on to say that there will be great distress in the last days. Matthew 24:29 29 "Immediately after the distress of those days "’the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’ If that sounds kind of scary to you, it’s with good reason. Luke 21:25-27 describes it this way” 25“And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.” These are things that will happen to signal the end of time on this earth. But v.27 is what we’re waiting for: 27 “And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” Jesus is coming back to this earth to take His people to be with Him forever.
-TS: However, until that day comes, we need to keep reminding ourselves of another important point in Peter’s sermon: Acts 2:2121 “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
III. God Is Saving All Who Call on Jesus (2:21)
-Whoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. We read that in v.21. Then, down in v.36, we read, “God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” Jesus is Lord, and whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Saved from what? We are saved from an eternity void of God’s love. We are saved from eternal punishment and separation from God. We are saved from living a sinful lifestyle and from reaping the consequences of a sinful lifestyle. Ultimately, though we are saved from the judgment that is to come.
-See, one day every human being who ever lived will stand before God to give an account. The main question we will have to answer is, “What did you do with what I gave you?” God gave us Jesus! What have you done with Jesus? Have you confessed that He is the Lord and King of the universe? Have you made Him the leader of your own life? Whoever calls on the name of the Lord Jesus shall be saved! Have you been saved? God is still saving everyone who calls on Jesus.
Conclusion: As we close, you can read about the result of Peter’s sermon in v.37 and following. His words got through to them and they asked, “What do we do now?” Peter told them very clearly what they needed to do: “Turn from your sins and turn to God. Be baptized in the name of Jesus, and He will forgive you.” If Peter were here today, I think he would be preaching the same kind of message: God is pouring out His Holy Spirit, just like Joel prophesied. Judgment is coming, but everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved from judgment. Therefore, repent. Turn away from your sins and turn to God. Be baptized in the name of Jesus, showing that you will follow Him. He will forgive you and change your life. Furthermore, He will give you the gift of the Holy Spirit.
-How many of you here today would say, “I really need more of the Holy Spirit in my life?” If we only knew how desperately we needed the HS to breathe new life into us! Folks, without the HS, we don’t have what it takes to be who God wants us to be. I urge you to begin to seek God, asking Him to fill you with His Holy Spirit and the power you need to change your world.
-If you do not know the Lord today – if you have not called on the name of the Lord, asking Him to forgive you and clean your heart out, He is very near you today. If you will simply do what it takes to take a step toward Him, He will meet you and touch your life, and it will never be the same again. There is power in His forgiveness. He brings life and restoration to those who come to Him. If you are ready to take that step today, would you just raise your hand to show that you want to receive the Lord? I would like to pray with you and help answer any questions you might have about the Bible or about the Lord.
