BIRTH OF THE CHURCH
GENESIS 11:1-9
ACTS 2:1-41
#Pentecost
INTRODUCTION… OLDEST IN THE WORLD, wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_oldest_companies
According to a report published by the Bank of Korea that looked at 41 countries, there were 5,586 companies older than 200 years. So when did some of these old companies and organizations start?
In the year 578 AD, the construction company Kongo Gumi was started in Japan which makes it the oldest continually operating company in the world. I’ll do the math for you, it is 1446 years old.
St Peter Stiftskulinarium in Salzburg, Austria is the oldest continually operating restaurant in the world at 1221 years old and was started in 803 AD. Christopher Columbus and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart are said to have eaten there.
The Paris Mint was founded in 864 AD in France and is the oldest mint in the world. The next oldest continually operating mint is the Royal Mint of the United Kingdom currently located in Wales.
I find it fascinating that these companies and families and other organizations are still around after all of this time. In the United States, we feel like something that is 100 years old is old or ancient, but in other parts of the world, buildings or family homes or landmarks are often much older than in the United States. Many other countries and cultures do not tear down to build new, but build next to the old.
Today we are focusing on an organization that is even older than the Paris Mint or St Peter Stiftskulinarium or even Kongo Gumi. We are focusing on an organization that has been continuously operating for 1,991 years and began in 33 AD. Today we are celebrating and focusing on the birth of the Church which on Christian Calendars is called: Pentecost.
You may be unaware of Pentecost. If you are aware of Pentecost, you will know it as the day when the Holy Spirit came upon the followers of Jesus to indwell them and marked them as the “called-out ones” of God in Christ.
The events of Pentecost which we will read about in Acts 2 in the New Testament, happened 50 days after Jesus’ resurrection which you can read about at the end of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (also in the New Testament). Jesus appeared to the disciples and others in those days and convinced them that He had risen from the dead. On Pentecost Sunday 1991 years ago, they went public with their faith.
PURPOSE
Our purpose this morning is to make sure that we read through Acts 2 and highlight everything that God did on Pentecost Sunday. We will do that for sure, but I also want you to understand WHY God did WHAT He did on Pentecost. I want us to know the WHAT, but also the WHY.
TRANSITION
Believe it or not, the WHY begins in the book of Genesis in the Old Testament. Today we will be reading from Genesis 11 and then Acts 2 in order to focus on the WHAT and the WHY of Pentecost, which is the Birth of the Church.
READ GENESIS 11:1-9 (ESV)
Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. 2 And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. 3 And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. 4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.” 5 And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man had built. 6 And the Lord said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. 7 Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another's speech.” 8 So the Lord dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. 9 Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth. And from there the Lord dispersed them over the face of all the earth.
Genesis 11 provides us a look at the ancient past. At one point in the history of humanity, all people spoke the same language. In that time, all the people gathered together and wanted to build a tower that reached into the heavens. This tower would bring people closer to God on their own terms. This tower could create a safe place in case God ever decided to flood the whole earth again (Josephus, Book 1, Chapter 4). This tower would feed the human need for fame and greatness and power. This tower would gather all people in the same place which was exactly the opposite of God’s previous commands to fill the earth (Genesis 1:22, 1:28, 9:1). The tower was a symbol of the sin of humanity.
In God’s ever-present grace, He confused the languages of all the people so that they could not complete this project and sin in these ways they planned. Genesis 11:9 tells us very specifically that God confused the languages and then dispersed people all over the planet. People scattered because they could not communicate and God sent them about the earth to settle. Human beings then developed different cultures and histories and tribes and families and settled everywhere.
We find in Genesis 12, right after Genesis 11, that in the course of time that God called a man named Abram (we know him as Abraham) to be the beginning of His own nation. Throughout the course of Genesis 1-11, we see sin and rebellion rampant among God’s family on earth and also God’s family in heaven. God knew all of this and created us anyway! He knew and He had a plan before we even knew what sin was in our mind’s eye. Genesis 12 is the beginning of that plan.
* God would carve out of the peoples of the earth His own nation of people who worship Him.
* God would make His own people that followed His Word and His Way and His Truth.
* God would institute a culture based on Him that would be a witness to the rest of the world.
* God would fashion people committed to Him by which the message of salvation would come.
Those people that God carved, made, instituted, and fashioned were the descendants of Abraham and would become known throughout the years and generations as Jews. It is through the Jewish people that God sends Jesus the Christ Who is the pre-planned way of salvation.
SUMMARY AND TRANSITION
The whole Bible is the story of God working His plan among His people (Israel) and among the nations to bring forth salvation. There are hints at what God would do. There are prophecies about One Who would come and save humanity. The plan really comes into view when Jesus is born. Jesus is the Son of God and was born to live and die to save us. His life was perfect. His ministry was and is impactful. His teachings are amazing. His miracles are proof. His death had great purpose. His resurrection had equal purpose.
We now come many years and many generations removed from Genesis 11 when another phase of God’s plan for humanity explodes with a boom. Jesus has died. Jesus has risen. Jesus has ascended into Heaven. And we find ourselves in Acts 2. Acts chapter 2 is significant.
READ ACTS 2:1-21 (ESV)
When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” 12 And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.” 14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. 15 For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. 16 But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: 17 “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out My Spirit on 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 even on My male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out My Spirit, and they shall prophesy. 19 And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; 20 the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day. 21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved.’
Acts 2 focuses us on the WHAT and the WHY of Pentecost.
The Church was born when the Holy Spirit miraculously descended with the sound of wind and the physical manifestation of fire above the believers. God’s presence had come among His people and would remain with them as promised by Jesus (John 14:16).
The Church was born when the Holy Spirit descended on believers in Jesus Christ and they began to speak “in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance” (verse 4). The language aspect of this miracle is no accident! Verse 5 tells us that there are people from “every nation under heaven” listening and specifically 17 different groups are mentioned in verses 7-11.
* The number of people from different nations was many.
* The number of different cultures was numerous.
* The number of languages was many.
None of that mattered because at Pentecost God reversed Babel! None of that mattered because at Pentecost God reversed Genesis 11! God had once scattered humanity across the face of the earth because of sinfulness. Now, God was bringing scattered humanity together to hear the message of salvation. The message about Jesus crosses all boundaries and cultures and languages and groups and families and traditions and is a universal answer for all people. The people speaking in different languages on Pentecost had a message to tell to the nations. A great summary of that message is verse 21:
RE-READ ACTS 2:21 (ESV)
“And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved.’”
SUMMARY AND TRANSITION
Acts 2 continues to focus us on the WHAT and the WHY of Pentecost as the Apostle Peter has gotten up and reminds the people about prophecies in the Old Testament book of Joel pointing to this very event! The event that the prophet Joel foresaw was the birth of the Church when the Holy Spirit was poured out and set apart believers in Jesus as God’s people.
God’s people are now those who confess Jesus Christ and whose sins are covered by the blood of Jesus:
* God carves out His own nation of people who worship Him and it is the Church!
* God makes His own people that follow His Word and His Way and His Truth and it is the Church!
* God instituted a culture based on Him that witness to the rest of the world and it is the Church!
* God fashioned those through which the message of salvation comes and it is the Church!
The Apostle Peter continues to preach in Acts 2.
READ ACTS 2:22-36 (ESV)
“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves know— 23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. 24 God raised Him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for Him to be held by it. 25 For David says concerning Him, “‘I saw the Lord always before me, for He is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; 26 therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope.27 For You will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let Your Holy One see corruption. 28 You have made known to me the paths of life; You will make me full of gladness with Your presence.’ 29 “Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, 31 he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that He was not abandoned to Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. 33 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. 34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, “‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, 35 until I make your enemies your footstool.”’ 36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus Whom you crucified.”
The Apostle Peter shares the message of the Gospel:
#1 Jesus of Nazareth came to be crucified for the benefit of anyone who believes in Him
#2 Jesus of Nazareth did not stay dead, but rose from the dead conquering death
#3 Jesus of Nazareth offers souls the path to life in this life and the next
#4 Jesus of Nazareth is in Heaven and sent the Spirit of God to be with believers
#5 In summary, Jesus is Lord and Christ
This is a powerful message. The message that the Apostle Peter preaches is one that is about the human soul. We must understand that human beings are not good by nature. We are not! We are sinners. Everyone of us! We go our own way away from God on a regular basis and are broken. Heart and mind broken! This brokenness was foreseen by God before He ever made us and made a way for sin to be healed. Jesus is the healing of our souls. Jesus is the fix for what humanity broke. Jesus was and is and will be the plan for reconciliation with our Heavenly Father and Creator. Jesus is the only way to life in God.
Jesus promises this to us in John 14:
READ JOHN 14:6-7 (ESV)
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. 7 If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also. From now on you do know Him and have seen Him.”
SUMMARY AND TRANSITION
The Apostle Peter is preaching with boldness empowered by the Holy Spirit and he lays out of the Gospel message clearly. What we see happening as the sermon ends is the response. There is always a response to the Gospel message. The response is either “yes” or “no.” A “maybe” or “I’m not sure”… is a “no.” The response is either “yes” or “no.” Let’s finish reading from Acts 2:
READ ACTS 2:37-41 (ESV)
“Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to Himself.” 40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.”
We note that Peter was speaking to anyone who would listen and verse 37 is clear that the message was received. They were “cut to the heart” (verse 37) which means they listened to Peter’s words, weighed them, and decided that Jesus was in fact the Christ. They decided to accept the Truth that Jesus was the Son of God, died and rose for them, and wanted to accept Him as Savior and Lord.
Acts 2:38 is their response. Peter led them to repent and to be baptized. By repenting of sin and submitting to being immersed in water, the people were confessing that Jesus was the Christ, the son of the Living God. Repentance and baptism is the confession that they wanted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. This is their acceptance that they wanted to be saved from the crooked generation of which they were apart.
Acts 2:38 is also the response of God. God forgave sins by the blood of Jesus and gave the Holy Spirit. We cannot save ourselves. We cannot forgive our own sins. We cannot earn our way to Heaven with any good deeds. We cannot buy our way into God’s grace. We cannot say magical words to make God remove our sin. Salvation comes from God alone.
READ EPHESIANS 2:8-9 (ESV)
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
READ TITUS 3:5-7 (ESV)
“He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, Whom He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
Verse 41 summarizes what happens after the Apostle Peter preaches and explains how to come to faith in Jesus. Verse 41 says there were added to the Kingdom of God about three thousand people.
* The Church was born!
* The nation of people who worship God through Christ began!
* The Kingdom of people that follow His Word and His Way and His Truth started!
* The family of people that witness to the rest of the world about Jesus launched!
* The body through which the message of salvation comes was let loose!
CONCLUSION
Today we are focusing on the birth of the Church. The Kingdom of Jesus that is focused on helping people find and follow Jesus been continuously operating for 1,991 years and began in 33 AD.
ILLUSTRATION… What is the church? owensboroparent.com/introducing-children-to-the-christmas-story/
Russ Blowers served the congregation at East 91st Street Christian Church in Indianapolis for 45 years He was a minister, but also active in his local Indianapolis Rotary club. At club meetings each week a member gives a brief statement about his job.
When it was his turn, Russ said: "I'm with a global enterprise. We have branches in every country in the world. We have our representatives in nearly every parliament and boardroom on earth. We're into motivation and behavior alteration. We run hospitals, feeding stations, crisis pregnancy centers, universities, publishing houses, and nursing homes. We care for our clients from birth to death. We are into life insurance and fire insurance. We perform spiritual heart transplants. Our original Organizer owns all the real estate on earth plus an assortment of galaxies and constellations. He knows everything and lives everywhere. Our product is free for the asking. (There's not enough money to buy it.) Our CEO was born in a hick town, worked as a carpenter, didn't own a home, was misunderstood by his family, hated by enemies, walked on water, was condemned to death without a trial, and arose from the dead--I talk with Him every day.”
PRAYER
INVITATION
I share with you the same message as the Apostle Peter:
#1 Jesus of Nazareth came to be crucified for the benefit of anyone who believes in Him
#2 Jesus of Nazareth did not stay dead, but rose from the dead conquering death
#3 Jesus of Nazareth offers souls the path to life and gladness and holiness
#4 Jesus of Nazareth is in Heaven and sent the Spirit of God to be with believers
#5 In summary, Jesus is Lord and Christ.
Accept He is Who He said He is!
Believe in Him!
Confess the need for the grace of God through the blood of Jesus!
Depend on God for the life of your soul!
