Acts 2:1-18(KJV)
1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
12 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?
13 Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.
14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon 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 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
1. 120 Men & Women had a legitimate experience in that upper room.
2. It was a powerful experience (a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind; there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance).
3. Many questioned the validity of this experience (What meaneth this?).
4. Others were cynical and critical of this experience (These men are full of new wine).
5. However, Peter explained that his experience and the experience of those with him was related to the sovereign outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the culmination of God’s plan on the earth in the last days.
6. Many call this the Pentecostal experience, because it happened on the day of the feast of Pentecost (lit. feast of weeks and/or harvest).
7. The theological implication is that the Holy Spirit has been poured out to bring a great last day harvest.
AS PENTECOSTALS, WE PLACE GREAT IMPORTANCE ON PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.
BECAUSE WE PLACE GREAT IMPORTANCE ON PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, SOME HAVE CALLED US TOO SUBJECTIVE OR OVER EMOTIONAL. SOME FACILITATORS OF RELIGION HAVE IMPRESSED UPON OTHERS THAT WE ARE THEOLOGICALLY BANKRUPT.
SO, WHILE OTHERS ACCUSE US OF BEING TOO EMOTIONAL, I BELIEVE THAT THEY AREN’T EMOTIONAL ENOUGH!
SO WHY IS PERSONAL EXPERIENCE SO IMPORTANT TO US AS PENTECOSTALS?
1. A KNOWLEDGE OF RELIGION ALONE CANNOT SAVE US
A. WE MUST EXPERIENCE THE TRUTH BEFORE IT CAN CHANGE OUR
LIFE
II Th 2:10B(KJV)
10 because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be
saved.
B. OBJECTIVE VS. AFFECTIVE
C. WHEN WE MINISTER, WE ARE NOT JUST TRYING TO PREACH OR TEACH A LESSON. WE ARE TRYING TO SEE A LIFE CHANGED.
D. EVEN AFTER WE ARE A CHRISTIAN, KNOWLEDGE OF RIGHT AND WRONG CANNOT NECESSARILY CAUSE US TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT!
1Thes 1:5-6
5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.
We need the power of God upon our life. As Alton Garrison says, “The dynamic to live the ethic!”
Everyday, we need that power! We cannot live this thing by ourselves.
2 Cor 4:7(KJV)
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of
the power may be of God, and not of us.
2. PERSONAL EXPERIENCE SUPERSEDES A PATTERN OF WORSHIP
2 Tim 3:5(KJV)
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from
such turn away.
A. IN PENTECOSTAL WORSHIP, WE DO NOT WORSHIP IN A PATTERN OF VAIN REPETITION. WE BELIEVE THAT THE BELIEVER PERSONALLY DRAWS NEAR TO GOD WITH THEIR HEART AND THAT GOD DRAWS NEAR TO THEM!
Matt 15:8-9(KJV)
8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and
honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the
commandments of men.
Unless worship is coming from our heart it means nothing to God.
Even as Pentecostals, we need to guard against a pattern of worship.
3. THE BIBLE OUTLINES THE IMPORTANCE OF PERSONAL EXPERIENCE BY HIGHLIGHTING EVENTS IN THE LIFE OF INDIVIDUAL MEN AND WOMEN WHO SERVED HIM
4. CHRIST MINISTERED TO INDIVIDUALS (Zachais, Samaritan women, Nathaniel)
5. TODAY, EVERY INDIVIDUAL NEEDS TO STRIVE FOR A FRESH PERSONAL ENCOUNTER WITH CHRIST
A. AS PENTECOSTALS, WE MUST NOT FORGET HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR US TO HAVE A FRESH PERSONAL ENCOUNTER WITH CHRIST.
1. Paul strove for an up to date personal experience. He wasn’t contented to live through the experiences of others.
2. Pauls zeal for Christ wasn’t grounded in the past, but rather in the present.
3. John the revelator had a beautiful encounter with Christ.
4. When was the last time that you really experienced Christ in a special or meaningful way!
6. SO WHAT KIND OF EXPERIENCE DO WE NEED TO HAVE?
A. AN EXPERIENCE GROUNDED IN BIBLICAL TRUTH
B. A POWERFUL EXPERIENCE - “A GOD THING”
C. A LIFE CHANGING EXPERIENCE – “SALVATION”
D. AN UP TO DATE OR CURRENT EXPERIENCE
CONCLUSION: WHAT CAN WE EXPECT?
A. WE CAN EXPECT SOME CRITICISM.
B. WE CAN EXPECT A CHANGE.
Frank M. Boyd an early Pentecostal instructor said, “He expected all the students to be more filled with fire and love and zeal and more filled with the Spirit when they left than when they came. He said that when men had the Word without the Spirit they were often dead and dull and dry; and when men had the Spirit with out the Word there is a tendency towards fanaticism. But where men had the Word and the Spirit, they would be equipped as the Master wants His ministers equipped.
