Where The Spirit Of The Lord Is

5/18/2003

Title: Where the Spirit of the Lord Is

Text: “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place…And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:1, 4).

Scripture Reading: Acts 2:1-21

Read Acts 2:1-21

Acts 2 records the awesome historical event that changed the church forever-the coming of the Holy Spirit into the life of the church on the Day of Pentecost.

It happened just as definitely as Jesus’ birth and resurrection, and the believers were never the same.

The church really became the church at Pentecost.

We don’t need Pentecost again as such, just as we don’t need Jesus’ birth, death, or resurrection to occur again.

But we constantly need the power of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit, in control of our lives and the church.

Acts 2 is a fascinating chapter of scripture.

It has much to teach us as a church if we are to know the Spirit of Pentecost.

Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is something spiritually special.

This is the story of Acts.

This is the story of the church through the centuries.

This is the message to us today.

I’m going to read to you the first six verses of Acts 2, again.

1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.

3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.

4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

5 And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven.

6 And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language.

Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there are four results.

First, the Spirit of the Lord brings the presence of the Lord.

On the Day of Pentecost, there was a sudden and strange awareness of supernatural happenings.

A sound from heaven like a mighty rushing wind filled the house where the disciples were staying, and tongues of fire came to rest on each of them.

They were filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in languages not previously learned.

The crowd heard them speaking and banded together in amazement.

A very special moment in God’s eternal plan was taking place-the coming of The Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit was entering a new temple-He was entering believers.

Israel carried the tabernacle as they journeyed through the wilderness, but the tabernacle was just an empty tent until Exodus 40:34: “Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.”

The temple of Solomon was just an empty building until 1 Kings 8:10-11: “And it came to pass, when the priests came out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.”

Now in the New Testament the Lord has filled a new temple, not one of skins and tapestries or of stones and ornaments, but His new temple, the church.

Christ is the foundation of the church, and born-again believers are the living stones of His church

On the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit began to indwell all believers just as the glory of God had filled the tabernacle and the temple with His awesome presence!

He indwells the church because He dwells in each believer in a personal, intimate way.

In John 14:17 it says, “for He dwelleth with you,” and in 1 Corinthians 6:19 it says, “your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you,” and in Ephesians 2:22 it says, “ye also are builded together for an habitation of God.”

Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is the manifestation of His power and there is the awareness of His holiness in relation to sin.

This is what the mighty wind and tongues of fire represent.

It is personal to those who sense that something wonderful is happening.

But it is perplexing to many who do not know the Lord.

Second, where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is the power of evangelism.

The Day of Pentecost reveals that the Holy Spirit uses and blesses two primary methods of evangelism.

The first method is personal witnessing.

Acts 1:8 says, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”