When Heaven Came Down

When Heaven Came Down

Acts 2

June 4, 2006

Morning Service

Introduction

The Day of Pentecost was part of a special celebration for the Jewish people. it was also known as the feast of Weeks. This day would have been celebrated 50 days after the events of Easter and only 10 days after the ascension of Jesus. The feast of Weeks or the day of Pentecost was celebrated to give praise and thanksgiving to God and was set aside as a special day of remembrance for the mighty things God had done for the people of Israel.

Petecost was celebrated for three major reasons

1.) Harvest - This would have been the first part of the harvest season. The first fruits of the harvest would have come in about the 1st of June.

2.) Exodus - This day was set aside to especially remember the Exodus from Egypt and the deliverance of God’s people

3.) The formation of Israel as a nation - The giving of the Law at Mt. Sinai

The Pentecost parallel with the early church is indeed striking

1.) The first fruits - There was a spiritual harvest happening on this day in two major ways. The first was that the believers had been filled with the Holy Spirit and the second was the converts that were won because of it

2.) Deliverance - The empowerment of the Holy Spirit provided the means for people to live fully for God. The people had been set free from the old carnality or the sinful human nature. the power of the Holy Spirit helps us to say yes to god and no to sin

3.) The formation of the church - The old covenant was signified with the Law but the new covenant was signified in the blood of Jesus. Jesus paid for the new covenant with His own blood. it is then selaed with the Holy Spirit and the birth of the church.

Three major feasts or festivals - Each represents a major event in history

Passover celebrated the freedom Israel from slavery

Weeks/ First fruits celebrated the birth of new crops

Tabernacles celebrated the end of the harvest season

I. There was a divine descent - the Holy Spirit came (1-4)

Keys to see the Spirit Fall

Obedience

The believers were gathered in one place just as they were instructed to do by Jesus.

4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." Acts 1:4-5

Before Jesus can do anything of lasting value in your life you must first obey. The simple fact of the matter is this: obedience is the key that unlocks Christ’s blessings.

Unity

We can take a lesson from the early church because they were united in ways that the church today needs to examine and adapt. These believers were so focused on seeking what Jesus had promised that there was no time for church politics, bickering or complaining and there was no time to focus on anyone else’s way but God’s. They were so focused on Jesus that there wasn’t any time for anything else.

One goal - Seeking what Jesus had promised until it was found

Q - How often is this the goal of our church?

One mind - There was only one task - seek Jesus

Q - How many times do we get separated on individual agendas?

One purpose - There was one purpose - know Jesus

Q - How often do we make the purpose of the church something else?

Our purpose ought to be to know Jesus and to make Him known

The word here translated all together is homothumadon and it comes from two other Greek words. Homo meaning the same and thumos spirit or wind. This word appears only 11 times in all of scripture and 10 of those times are in the book of Acts.

* Together in prayer (Acts 1:14 & 2:24)

* Together in one place (Acts 2:1)

* Together in daily worship (Acts 2:46, 5:12)

* Together in obedience (Acts 8:6)

* Together in business meeting (Acts 15:25)

* Togetherness is needed to glorify God (Romans 15:6)

The Coming of the Spirit

The Holy Spirit came suddenly on the Upper Room and the believers gathered there. The abrupt entrance gained the attention of the entire group of believers. The Spirit needs to get the attention of our church and come upon us suddenly as well.

The group gathered in the upper room is not just the 12 apostles but rather it is the larger group of 120. This would have likely been the entire group of believers. The filling of the Holy Spirit is meant for everyone. Every believer is meant to have it. Every believer needs to have the filling. Jesus wants you to have this divine ourpouring of power in your life.