The Day of Pentecost: His Story

The Day of Pentecost: His Story The History of The Church and A Current Reality Acts 1.4-9, 2.1-12 The first lines of the history of the church are describing a prayer meeting (1.12-14) and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. This is foundational to the church's beginning(s) and to its continuation. I'm amazed at where the church ended up in some quarters. And yet it is even more amazing to see what God is doing in these Last Days. We are watching apostasy as well as the greatest ingathering and the Gospel spreading to the uttermost parts of the Earth than ever before. During Covid every pastor became an broadcaster sharing the Good News. Some were doing it before but it has been enhanced greatly since that time. While people were getting vaccinated as the main issue, God was speaking and putting together a great move of His Spirit over the internet in Livestreaming. Back to Jerusalem 32AD They were in Jerusalem for the Feast of Weeks, Pentecost. They had been there 50 days before for Passover. If they Iived within a certain distance from Jerusalem they were required to go to these Feasts under the Old Covenant Law. Many came many miles to be there out of their own devotion. The disciples had returned to Galilee and now were back in Jerusalem at least since Jesus' Ascension into heaven 10 days before. They remained in Jerusalem for 10 days after. Then the Day of Pentecost, which we celebrate today, came. Jesus had been speaking to them about the Spirit being outpoured and His followers being baptized with the Holy Spirit. * They Had Been Told By Jesus Not To Leave the City of Jerusalem Luke 24. 46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” The Ascension of Jesus 50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, He lifted up His hands and blessed them. 51 While He was blessing them, He left them and was taken up into heaven. 52 Then they worshiped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God. How does this translate for us? Bay Shore/ Western Suffolk is our Jerusalem What begins here at 10am on the LORD’s Day goes around the country and the world all week. We are going over what was called The Super Information Highway. The Roman Empire built roads to connect and unify itself. The roads were traveled by Paul and the other apostles to spread the Gospel. The Roman Empire ceased to exist. The Kingdom of God expanded. We are out in this place we call “home” all week, sharing the Gospel by the way we live and the words we speak. 1. The Power of the Holy Spirit enabled these men to speak in languages they had never studied. 2.6-11 *To touch the hearts of the listeners. When you hear something in your native tongue something happens. It hits home. It is heartwarming. Katrina to the Christmas service at the Lutheran Church (German). Samuel's family from Africa Art and I picked up at the airport and brought to Pastor Kuidio's house. “My people.” English while I was in China for three weeks… beautiful I speak through translators all week long. At the Bible Study on Acts Tuesday Mornings in Faisalabad, Pakistan, at the Prayer Meeting in Bangkok, Thailand on Fridays at 5am and in Uganda to the children on Saturday Mornings with Pastor Boniface and Juliet. When I went to Haiti, Jhon was my interpreter. I thank God for those who have the gift of interpretation! Fiza in Thailand, Juliet in Uganda, Nida and Evangelist Faisal in Pakistan, Pastor Daniel in Kenya, Pastor Liton Roy in Bangladesh… others Greek was the Universal Language at the time in Acts. It was not necessary to have them speak in the native tongues to communicate the Gospel. It was God’s way of showing the Gospel is for the whole world. He was saying, “I sent My Son because I loved the whole world.” Every nation, language, tribe, and people is precious to the LORD. God loves the whole world. *To teach the church at its onset that it needs the power of the Holy Spirit to do the work of God. (It is actually God working through us) They proclaimed the Word of God boldly for the first time. Peter preached under the anointing of the Holy Spirit. It is a wonderful thing for both the listeners and  the one who is sharing the Word. In the context of Acts 2 it appears Peter is speaking in Greek and they all understood. We all need this Baptism with the Holy Spirit. We need it to serve in all areas. It enables us do His work. It is what Jesus meant when He said that without Him we could do nothing. (John 15.5) It gives it greater purpose- eternal purpose.  Jesus set the example by washing the feet of His disciples in the upper room. We cannot do the work of God in our own strength or with our own abilities.  *To reach the world for Christ. The language barrier was solved. This had to be somewhat of a concern for these men- how could they be witnesses to the uttermost parts of the world if they were ignorant and unlearned. They were not world travelers. Most were fishermen with a Galilean Accent! There was a double miracle. One of speaking and one of hearing. The racial/socio-economic barrier was coming down on Pentecost. Prejudices that were built up over centuries came to an end as the whole world heard that day. Missions sends people from one culture/language group to another. The Spirit bridges that gap and makes us one in Christ. I shared a little of our story here on a Livestream on Monday Evening. The Spanish speaking people from all over the world. Now Urdu speaking people. We are praying for someone God has called and anointed. I would love to see the church used by the LORD to let those who met in Mosques Friday Night, the few that met in Synagogues yesterday know that Jesus has been crucified, buried and risen and that Today we celebrate that! God may be doing something already. Pray with me! Fiza from Thailand, Pakistani Immigration process has begun! We need a home to house her and her mother and father. You could be part of an amazing venture in faith! It is interesting to me how we are one in Christ. We respect the cultural differences and even adhere to them out of respect. But the differences no longer divide us as Christ unites us. Hudson Taylor. My beard makes it easy for me to minister in Southeast Asia. Truly Spirit Filled Men are going to be caught up with the theme of Jesus Christ and the Resurrection. This brings up our next point... 2.  The Power of the Holy Spirit enabled them to speak the Word with great boldness.  Acts 2:14-16 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. These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel... Speaking the Word of God with great boldness was a prayer of the early church. Acts 4.8-31 Acts 8:25 After they had further proclaimed the word of the LORD and testified about Jesus, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages.  One of them Luke 9. 51 As the time approached for Him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. 52 And He sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for Him; 53 but the people there did not welcome Him, because He was heading for Jerusalem. 54 When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?” 55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them. 56 Then He and his disciples went to another village. Again, prejudices removed! Places they once avoided now are hearing the Good News! The Gospel makes family out of enemies when they repent! 3. The Power of the Holy Spirit convicted people of their sins- 2.37-39  When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 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. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the LORD our God will call.”  Jesus said, John 16.8 When He comes, He will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: The church in Jerusalem did not grow to 3,000 from just residents of Jerusalem. That was how many were baptized after they believed. They were from  at least 15 different world areas. Say  200 from each and there  were many cities among those areas. So the mass amount of people who came into the church were from places other than Israel. Jews from all over the world. It appears they stayed there...until Acts 8... The infant church had a simple, childlike faith along with a freshness of the resurrection. New Christians have this. We need them! The coming of Holy Spirit on the Day Of Pentecost was a fulfillment of Bible prophecy. Twenty four generations had passed between Joel's prophecy and the Day of Pentecost but He kept his promise. 4. The Power of the Holy Spirit was among the new church in their daily lives. v.40-47 The original signs subsided but the work of God, the words of Jesus, "I will build My Church," continued to this day. Our dependence upon the Holy Spirit shows up in our prayers and how we live. Do we look to Him to work wonderfully? Are we thankful for answers to prayer? The church needs an upper room experience. We have perfected the supper room! Jesus warned us most of all about prayer. Luke 18. 6 And the LORD said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for His chosen ones, who cry out to Him day and night? Will He keep putting them off?8 I tell you, He will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes,will He find faith on the earth?” Will He find us praying and fasting or will He find us feasting and fellowshipping? Symbols of the Holy Spirit: Wind John 3 Water John 7 Oil Anointing James 5 Fire Baptism of the Holy Spirit and Fire Fruit Galatians 5 The Gospel has spread through the power of the Holy Spirit. The work of God in the world today is through Spirit filled believers. The Good News has spread and so has the church and its work... to the uttermost parts of the earth. He wants it to spread today up and down your street and this community and Island and around the world… and He is! Walk in step with His Spirit. Keep walking.