The Church Is Born
Acts 2:1-13
Lessons From The Early Church
Everything in Chapter one is preparation to the great outburst of the Spirit we are going to see in chapter 2
The second chapter of Acts marks a turning point in the history of God’s kingdom and a new phase of God’s redemptive plan unfolds as the church is born.
In chapter 1 the disciples were to wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit in chapter 2 He comes
In chapter 1 the disciples were equipped in chapter 2 they are empowered
In chapter 1 they were held back in chapter 2 they are sent forth
In chapter 1 the Savior ascended in chapter 2 the Spirit descends
All the promise of chapter 1 come to fulfillment as the believers gathered in that room to receive the wonderful promise of the Father
God’s plan to redeem the world began to unfold in human history in the Garden of Eden after man’s sin.
In Genesis 3:15, He promised a savior, who world one day redeem the human race from the effects of sin.
That continued throughout history, through the giving of the law, through the prophets, to a small hill outside of Jerusalem called Calvary. There God’s only son gave his life for the sins of the world. And after rising victorious over sin and death, He promised to send the Holy Spirit to indwell believers.
At the coming of the Holy Spirit God’s church is born. The word church means the “called out ones.” Paul called that concept a mystery in Ephesians 3.
The Church has been called the bride of Christ, the branches of the vine, the flock of the Good Shepherd, the kingdom of God’s dear Son, God’s household, consisting of His adopted children, a spiritual temple of which Jesus Christ is the cornerstone, but uniquely the body of Christ.
Within the body there is a unity since we all are indwelt by Jesus Christ and all possess the same Spirit. Paul says in Galatians 3:28, “there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male or female for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
Acts 2:1-13
Three things this morning about “The Church Is Born”
1) The People Waited For The Power-vs. 1
a) The day of Pentecost had finally come
b) If go back to last week we know that the Pentecost came 50 days after the Passover and was part of the Feast of Weeks
c) Christ arose on the day of Passover and spent 40 days here teaching and preparing the disciples for what would come next.
d) Acts 1:12-26 cover that 10 days between Christ final ascension and the day of Pentecost.
e) And here we have that day has finally come
f) This is more than just a day this was the day the disciples had been praying about and praying for
g) And notice just like the previous 10 days in Acts 1:12-26
h) They were still together and they were still in the same place
i) Luke had told us that there were about 120 people waiting to receive the power of the Holy spirit
j) Notice it says that they were in one place
k) They were obedient they were where Christ told them to be
l) One thing is for sure if a believer want to receive the fullness of God’s Spirit he or she must obey Christ and follow His instructions
m) John 14:15-“if you love me you will keep my commandments”
n) They were also in unity
o) They were all together in one place
p) Acts 1 told us that they were in one accord
q) They waited faithfully in their attendance
r) The key is this they were together and in one place
s) The People Waited For The Power, but They Also Witnessed The Power
2) The People Witnessed The Power-vs. 2-4
a) Notice how the Holy Spirit came suddenly
b) Luke is using the word suddenly emphasizes the element of surprise
c) The believers knew the Holy Spirit was coming to be imminent
d) They were nevertheless caught by surprise
e) The same is going to be true when the Lord returns to earth
f) When see the signs of his return and we know that it is imminent
g) Yet he will still come unexpectedly
h) 1 Thess. 5:2 tell us that the Lord will come like a thief in the night
i) Those gathered could not have expected the dramatic signs that accompanied the Holy Spirit’s coming
j) This coming is described in three I believe carefully constructed parallel statements
k) Vs. 2-a sound came..and it filled the house
l) Vs. 3-tounges appeared..and they rested on each of them
m) Vs. 4-they were filled with the Holy Spirit…and began to speak in other tongues
n) I believe the emphasis is on the object of the event
o) It was audible, visible, and manifested itself in an outward demonstration
p) It was sound, sight, and speech
q) Ill.-Ringling Brothers greatest show on Earth, this was the greatest show on Earth
r) This rushing of the wind was not just some rare weather event, notice the word like
s) The supernatural activity of God is so utterly beyond the grasp of humans that those Bibles writers like Luke have to employ some similes to describe His manifestations to men
t) Like Ezekiel describing God’s voice like the sound of many rushing waters
u) Luke uses words here that mean the same thing: Wind and Spirit, both come from the same word
v) The word wind is frequently used as a picture of the Spirit, like in Ezekiel 37:9
w) I believe the Holy Spirits coming in this way was to give the disciples the strong confidence instilled with them in order to stand and preach the Gospel, but this manner would also bring people asking what had happened.
x) After the wind came was the sight
y) Again Luke is using words to describe “As of Fire” it was not a literal fire
z) It came as one fire and then distributed to each of those there
aa) Showing that each believer receives and still receives God’s Holy Spirit.
bb) Listen there is a difference between being “filled with the Spirit” and being “baptized with the Spirit”
cc) The apostle Paul carefully defines the baptism with the spirit as the act of Christ by which He places believers into His body (Rom 6:4-6, 1 Cor. 12:13, Gal. 3:27)
dd) In contrast to much wrong teaching today, the NT nowhere commands believers to seek the baptism with the Spirit
ee) The critical point is this the command to be filled with the Holy Spirit is still God’s command to every believer both individually and corporately as a church
ff) Ephesians 5:18-“Be filled with the Spirit”
gg) Galatians 5:22-23-“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance..”
hh) To be filled with the Spirit is to consciously practice the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ and to have a mind saturated with the Word of God
ii) Colossians 3:16-25 tell us the results of “letting the word of Christ richly dwell” in us
jj) As we yield the moment by moment decisions of life to His control, they “walk by the Spirit” Gal. 5;16
kk) Vs. 4 that they began to speak with other tongues
ll) What does that mean to speak with other tongues
mm) Does that mean to their speaking in languages other their own native language
nn) Or does it refer to the phenomenon of speaking in tongues or the “spirit language that Paul dealt with in 1 Corinthians 12-14
oo) This is dealing strickly with known languages
pp) The word tongues is the word languages.
qq) Ill.-speaking jibber-jash
rr) No one can speak some language that they alone can speak or that only they can interpret
ss) Here we simply have God giving the disciples and those there the ability to speak the Gospel around the world.
tt) YESU A-KWA-GA-LA-“Jesus Loves You”
uu) MACHI YAME SHOU-“God Bless You”
vv) JESUS VOUS AMIE-“Jesus Love You”
ww) The People waited for the power, they witnessed the power, but others wondered at the power
3) Others Wondered At The Power-vs. 5-13
a) Because Pentecost happened during a feast there were people in Jerusalem from all other.
b) Apparently when they heard this sound of the rushing wind rather than the sounds of the languages, they came to investigate
c) It is what they found when they arrived bewildered them because they heard words in their own languages
d) Think about this, you have traveled to a place most likely you have been before and before have never really be able to communicate with the people there
e) But this time you hear this wind and along with others you follow to see what has happened
f) And you get there and you recognize the words being spoken and you understand someone speaking to you.
g) Luke tells us they were amazed and astonished
h) They should have be speaking the language of Galilee but they were speaking languages from other places
i) Ill-read languages
j) Those that came said it was a mighty work of God
k) God calls you to witness for Him He gives you the Words
l) Verse 12 & 13 are still true of many people today.
m) Some stood and were in continually amazement
n) While others mocked saying they are full of the sweet wine
o) 2 Corinthians 6:2-“AT THE ACCEPTABLE TIME I LISTENED TO YOU, AND ON THE DAY OF SALVATION I HELPED YOU.” Behold, now is “THE ACCEPTABLE TIME,” behold, now is “THE DAY OF SALVATION”
p) Just like the Pharisees who heard Jesus’ claims and saw the confirming miracles and concluded He was of the devil in Matthew 12:24ff
q) Listen no amount of mocking or scoffing will stop the work of God
Conclusion
You have a choice today.
Resources
MacArthur-Acts
NAC-Acts
Phillips-Acts
Boice-Acts
