Stuck Upstairs When I Should Be Downstairs

STUCK UPSTAIRS WHEN I SHOULD BE DOWNSTAIRS

Acts 2:1-4; 3:1-2,6-11

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR

1. Did you hear about the man who had emergency surgery on his hand and lost 3 fingers? The man asked the doctor if he could still write.

2. The doctor answered, “Maybe, but don’t count on it.”

B. TEXT

“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....3:1 One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. 2 Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. 6 Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” 7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. 8 He jumped to his feet and began....walking and jumping, and praising God. 9 When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 they recognized him...11 all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade. Acts 2:1-4; 3:1-2,6-11

C. THESIS

1. Today is Pentecost Sunday - it’s one of the most important days in history. We’re going to see why, see the reasons we need the Holy Spirit, and think about our need to be refilled.

2. The title of today’s message is “Stuck Upstairs When I Should Be Downstairs.”

I. UPPER ROOM OR THE STREET?

A. OUR NEED: COME DOWN THE STAIRS

1. Everything you want and everything you do not have is outside your comfort zone. The Great Commission is outside your comfort zone.

2. Acts 2 needs Acts 3 – Acts 3 is going outside your comfort zone. Acts 2 is the upstairs. Acts 3 is going down the stairs.

3. Acts 2 is the 120. Acts 3 & 4 are the 3,000 and 5,000 plus many more. Today there are 2 billion believers on the earth. The church came down the stairs from the Upper Room and began to grow and share the Good News from person to person.

B. BETTER THAN PROPS

1. Peter preached with the healed lame man hanging onto him – and 5,000 got saved. If we’d replace the props in our services – the choreographed lights, fog machines, disco music, etc. – with real testimonies and healings, we might see more results.

2. If we’d get a drug addict or 2 saved & delivered; get a blind man healed – we might see the same kind of results! Instead of flashy church stuff, we should go for outreaches in our community!

3. The Upper Room is a filling station not a Residence Hall. The church had to come down.

No one ever went back to the Upper Room to take selfies.

4. They weren’t selling souvenirs there. The Upper Room was not memorialized – not a tourist attraction, they didn’t sell tickets to see the burn marks where the Spirit-fire was. The church is living and living things move!

C. SOME SAY, “I DON’T KNOW MUCH ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT”

1. Many of us think of the Holy Spirit like we do our pituitary gland. You know it's there, you're glad you've got it, and you don't want to lose it, but you're not exactly sure what it does. Well, the Holy Spirit does a lot.

2. The first time the Holy Spirit is mentioned in the Bible – Gen. 1:2 – it says He was “moving on the face of the waters.” From the start, He’s moving; if you’re NOT MOVING, there’s probably a disconnect between you and the Holy Spirit.

II. WHY WE DESPERATELY NEED THE HOLY SPIRIT?

A. THE COMING OF THE SPIRIT CONSTITUTED AN INVASION

1. On July 4, 1776, England's King George III recorded in his diary, "Nothing important happened today." Little did he know that the Revolution had begun in America! On the Day of Pentecost, A.D. 33, I imagine the devil wrote in his diary, "Nothing important happened today." But little did he know, that the Revolution of the Ages had begun!

2. The greatest transfer of power in history took place on the Day of Pentecost: Heaven’s power came down! “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" Acts 1:8. REASONS WE DESPERATELY NEED THE SPIRIT: