Recap a few ideas:
Acts is written for a person named Theophilus - what does that mean?
What did Jesus tell His disciples to wait in Jerusalem for?
The Holy Spirit is going to make us WITNESSES
Where will we witness - first at home (Jerusalem - Home) Then nearby (Judea - Lake County)
Cross cultural divides (Samaria - Hispanic?) Finally to the ends of the world - World Missions
What’s more important than knowing the specifics of Christ’s return? Accomplishing our MISSION
Luke details not only Jesus birth but the birth of the church
For the last time -all the believers were in one place. That happened to us in July. Video
Humbling thing, not by might or power or credentials - but by the spirit, wispy invisible
Sound of wind but no wind
Wind - at creation God blew the breath of life into Adam
One breath, one man, now thousands of people, mighty wind
Creation of the church has no explanation other than a miraculous one
Terry Talbot song - Mighty Rushing Wind
Tongues of fire - other tongues - God undoes Babel
Scene shifts quickly from the upper room to the street - God pushes the church into the streets
Note how ripe the setting is for the birthday of the church Vs. 5
Jesus taught for 40 days but didn’t say go until they were empowered with the HS
Acts 2 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs--we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!" 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?" 13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, "They have had too much wine. "Peter’s defining moment
Life breathed into a cowardly Peter.
Bold now with direction, purpose and focus
They had wine all right - a new wine
The power that proclaims the good news of God’s great gift the world explains as inebriation - drunkenness.
Don’t be drunk with wine but be filled with the HS
Everything hinges on the Spirit’s power to move our mouths and hands into action!
Giddy, happy, bubbling with unexplainable joy
Men everywhere hunger for this exhilarating spirit - and the church depends on it.
14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: "Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15 These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17 " `In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.
18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. 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. 21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’
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.
25 David said about him: " `I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 26 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will live in hope,
27 because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay.
28 You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.’
29 "Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. 30 But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. 31 Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay. 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. 34 For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said,
" `The Lord said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand 35 until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet." ’ 36 "Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."Power of OT passages - these are the ones Jesus spent so much time explaining for 40 days
This basic sermon must have been preached 100’s of times before Acts was ever written
Part 1 - vs. 17 the Holy Spirit
Part 2 - vs. 19 wonders
Part 3 - vs.. All will be saved. The HS and wonders serve the purpose of salvation
Vs. 23 and 24 - you kill - but God raises - He undoes our evil
Birthday of the church - imagine the shock and horror - YOU killed the Messiah
We did the unthinkable - we killed the Messiah
Man drag racing when car pulls in front of him and he slams into the car killing the driver, to his horror it was his mom. but his life is transformed
Which will you be? Hawkeye sees a mother smother her baby.Now Peter shows them the genius of Jesus - that He was hidden in scripture all along - not so obvious that they could have predicted his death and resurrection, but with 20/20 hindsight they could see that the Messiah David foretold would die but not decay!
See that horror turn to joy - but the promise is to you and to all - receive the HS
Must move into fellowship and ministry or else we baby-sit believers
How can we experience community
Luke here tips his hand, this is what Acts is all about over and over again. The HS descends and people are amazed, empowered, changed and sent
Peters speech is one Jew preaching to other Jews linking the story of Jesus to their story (history) OT
OT was not changed but finally understood - Responding to the call is how we can be saved
Action - BAPTISM - is part of the good news!
37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"
38 Peter replied, "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 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off--for all whom the Lord our God will call."
40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.What must we do? Super question - who here has been baptized - why?
Expect to hear "offer up sacrifices - go to the Temple - give alms - but no REPENT - turn - change
The greatest thing about the gospel is not that it offers forgiveness to those who repent but that it offers repentance to those who sin!
Jesus breathed on them the HS
JN 20:21 Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."
But in acts - Pentecost was a different story - not only at first but continually, so don’t look for a formula The wind blows where it wills
AC 2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.Outpouring not interior but like Gatorade bath
This wind had a different effect on different people
Wrath, confusion, hope, healing, courage - what about you?
Community - I hunger for this community - I have tasted it
Wind - it blows where it wants to blow - it is equated with life.
Elements of Authentic New Testament Community
Devotion
To Teaching
Fellowship
Worship
Prayers (spiritual disciplines)
One another (sell and give)
Result - gladness - sincere hearts (sincere = without cracks faultless) favor of people
God grows the church
Acts is filled with speeches - credible not because of the great memory of the listeners, but because of the pattern they reveal. Jesus spent 40 days teaching how to explain the OT to the Jews
1) Jesus explained the OT to the apostles
2) the Apostles and disciples passed on that information - it is called preaching the Kingdom
1- age of fulfillment - Kingdom of God is at hand!
2. All takes place in and through the life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus
3. Because God raised Him from the dead, God also exalted Him to His Right hand - Messiah!
4. The Holy Spirit is proof positive that Jesus is here and God is at work in us
5. The Messianic age will be fulfilled with a return of Jesus
6. Forgiveness, the Holy Spirit, Salvation all come with Repentance
Acts seems to be written more for insiders -
perhaps struggling with persecution, unpopularity -
needing to increase in their boldness and their witness -
In other words - people just like you and me!
