Title: Embracing the Holy Spirit: Empowered By
Theme: To show how the Holy Spirit empowers a believer to be a witness
Text: Acts 1:8; 2:1-4
Offering
Proverbs 11:24 One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. (NIV)
Act 1:4-9 And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," He said, "you have heard from Me; (5) for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now." (6) Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, "Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" (7) And He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. (8) But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me [1] in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." (9) Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.
Act 2:1-6 When the Day of Pentecost had 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 the whole house where they were sitting. (3) Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. (4) And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. (5) And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. (6) And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language.
Introduction
Embracing the Holy Spirit:
- Fruit of the Spirit: Love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, faith, meekness, kindness, self-control,
- Person of the Spirit: comforter, helper, teacher, advocate,
- Work of the Spirit: Overcoming by – Convictor of sin, righteousness, and judgement
- Tuning in: Samson and Delilah
- Empowered By
- Gifts of
Acts 1 for Luke is the continuing the gospel named after him. It is the beginning of the New Testament Church. As we begin we must know that Jesus was just resurrected and meeting with his disciples. Before He left He gave them one command, it was not to go out and tell everyone what they had seen (although this is a good idea), it was not to form a church and build a building, but it was to wait.
We learned ealy that a fruit of the spirit operating in our lives is this idea of patience or waiting on God’s plan. Here the disciples were told to wait. Wait on God’s plan.
Act 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
This is Jesus promise to the disciples. It is not a new promise. As we noted in John 14 and 16 Jesus had promised this to the disciples. There was no way they could understand this.
A few things I want to note here about this passage before we get to Acts 2
1. “you shall receive power” (Luke 24:29
This is not a power that is just there. It is a power that is given from the Holy Spirit.
That is the reason I entitled this message: Empowered by the Spirit.
The word empowered means:
em·pow·er
[əmˈpou(ə)r]
VERB
give (someone) the authority or power to do something:
synonyms: authorize · entitle · permit · allow · license · sanction · [more]
warrant · commission · delegate · qualify · enable · equip
antonyms: forbid
make (someone) stronger and more confident, especially in controlling their life and claiming their rights:
synonyms: emancipate · unshackle · set free · liberate
Jesus gave authority and power Matthew 28:18, Jesus to the 70,
Joh 14:12-17 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. (13) And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. (14) If you ask [] anything in My name, I will do it. (15) "If you love Me, keep [83] My commandments. (16) And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever-- (17) the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
At the Name of Jesus
Mar 16:17-18 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; (18) they [86] will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."
John14:13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
2. “when the Holy Spirit has come upon you”
This idea of the Holy Spirit coming upon them is as taking over the same space. They would then be filled with the Holy Spirit.
He empowers them but He also fills us. As He anoints and sets apart.
3. “you shall be witnesses to Me”
The purpose of this filling is one fold and that is to be a witness. It is not to do anything else to draw attention to ourselves but to the trinity. The work of the father, the resurrection of the Son and the power of the holy Spirit.
Witnesses:
1. A spreading of what has already been seen
2. An instrument of what God is doing.
This is so exciting. We are not called to do much we just a are called to fulfill what He wants us to do. God does all the work we just have to have the faith.
For a little less than 50 days that is what they did. They went to the upper room , prayed a waited.
We are Christ’s Ambassadors 2 Corinthians 5:20
Then on the Day of Pentecost this happened:
Act 2:1-6 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come,
It is not surprising that God would use this Jewish holiday to fulfill the Holy Spirit coming.
On Passover the lamb was sacrificed. On first fruits the lamb was given.
This was the perfect time
they were all with one accord in one place.
This is where it all began. There was a unity of spirit and worship. They were together in one mind. To me this shows the importance of corporate worship. How important it is for believers to come together.
“where two or more are gathered together”
“where two agree on this one thing”
The Holy Spirit
The Mystery – The Wind – Ezekiel 27:1-14 The breath of God brings life
(2) And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
Filled the whole place. God wants to fill us up. Remove any thing out of our lives. If you are struggling with things it maybe that you need a good dose of His filling.
Tongues – a sound
The Holy Spirit is not silent. He was not silent in the Old Testament. He was not silent in Acts and He is not silent today.
The you see the sound, you see the tongues (the final thing to go), you see the words on Pentecost from Peter.
The Holy Spirit speaks. He empowers us to speak with boldness and freedom.
EXODUS 4:11-12, “WHO GAVE MAN HIS MOUTH? WHO MAKES HIM DEAF OF MUTE?…IS IT NOT I, THE LORD? NOW GO; I WILL HELP YOU SPEAK AND WILL TEACH YOU WHAT TO SAY.”
The Fire – Cleansing and spreading, Exodus 3 “burning bush”, Exodus 13 “Cloud of Fire”, Exodus 24 “the consuming fire”, Exodus 40 “hovering cloud in the wilderness”
(3) Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.
“sat on each of them” – individually, divided. Each has a purpose.
(4) And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
“as the Spirit gave them utterance”
This is a work of the spirit. The one who anoints. The one who gives gifts, good gifts. Romans 12, Ephesians, and 1 Corinthians 12:7-8
(5) And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. (6) And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language
This is the witness. The disciples were willing to be instruments of the Holy Spirit. They were willing to be used of God. The people witnessed the work of the Holy Spirit through the disciples actions. Through the sound.
Conclusion
This is what we need in our world today. The power of the Holy Spirit working. The empowering of the Christian to witness and be a witness to the world that is lost. What we need to people who will see their life as an instrument of the Holy Spirit to be a witness to the world.
You don’t have to do much you just have to be filled. You have to allow the Holy Spirit to come upon you.
This morning I feel the Holy Sprit is speaking. He is saying to some, “Come be filled”. He is saying to others “It is time for a refilling”. He is again saying, “He has come to empower”.
God is not asking us to be zombies. He is giving us the authority and power to go out an fulfill His purposes. He has called us. He has set us free.
