Pastor Jack Peters
May 28, 2023 at 10:30 AM
Acts 2:1-13
TOGETHER IN CHRIST!
ACTS 2:1-13 – HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CHURCH
TOGETHER WE ARE HIS CHURCH #23, AM 5/28/23
There are many ways to celebrate a birthday.
- We can celebrate by receiving cards, gifts, and phone calls.
- We can celebrate with well wishes from friends and family, and social media.
- We can celebrate by having people singing to us.
- We can celebrate by throwing or receiving a party.
- We can celebrate by mourning, regretting we are a year older.
- We can celebrate with a special event or trip. Donna, our daughter, and I celebrated our 30th and 60th birthdays with a trip to Hershey Park. We did it a year later because Donna was expecting her twins.
- Today is the birthday of the church! We will celebrate by learning about the event and how it applies to us.
In chapter Acts 1:4-8 we see our risen Lord's final commands to his disciples. They were to wait in Jerusalem for the baptism and filling of the Holy Spirit. They were then to carry out the Great Commission.
Let’s consider:
THE DAY Vs. 1
The day of this event was a Jewish holy day called Pentecost.
The feasts of the Old Testament are pictures of the work of Christ.
Passover was a picture of his death.
The feast of Firstfruits, held the day after the first Sabbath after Passover, was a picture of the Resurrection!
At Pentecost, “the feast of weeks” the Jews celebrated the giving of the law.
At Pentecost the church was baptized with the Holy Spirit.
Pentecost took place 50 days after the feast of first fruits.
That is, 7 weeks and one day.
If the feast of first fruits was always on a Sunday, and it was, then the Day of Pentecost was also always on a Sunday.
Think of this:
- Christ's Resurrection was on a Sunday.
- The Birthday of the Church was also on a Sunday.
- Sunday is called "The Lord's Day".
- No wonder we worship on Sunday.
At Pentecost two loaves of bread were offered.
Why two loaves? The church is made up of two groups, Jews and Gentiles. Each had an experience of being baptized with the Holy Spirit.
- The Jews on the Day of Pentecost
- The Gentiles at the House of Cornelius in Acts 10
The day was Pentecost, and the disciples were being obedient.
They were waiting in Jerusalem, perhaps in the Upper Room, or some other room of a house. There is a possibility it was at the temple. It was probably at least a place close to the temple. They were all together in one place. They were unified!
This is certainly a lesson that the 20th century church needs to learn.
- There wasn't bickering.
- There weren't hard feelings.
- There weren't fights, or trying to see who would be greatest. (That was earlier)
- They were unified.
- If we want to see the Holy Spirit working today, we need to be unified as well.
THE DAY - Vs. 1
THE DISPLAY Vss. 2-3
Two events took place on the Church’s Birthday. Simultaneously the Church was baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit.
First let’s talk about the Baptism. Matthew 3:11
Each time a respective group came to faith there was a display that they had been baptized or placed into the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit. Let’s consider the two which we mentioned already.
- The Jewish Believers on the Day of Pentecost.
- The Gentile believers in the House of Cornelius. Acts 10:44-48
There was a display so that the disciples would know that the promise of the Spirit had come.
Vs. 2 - There was the sound of a mighty rushing wind. I wonder if it sounded like a hurricane. The word "spirit" is the same as "wind" in both Hebrew and Greek.
Consider John 3:8
- We can hear wind.
- We can feel wind.
- We can see the results of the wind. But we don't see the wind, and we can't control the wind.
- We can hear the Spirit, as He speaks to us.
- We can feel the Spirit.
- We can see the results of the Spirit's work. But we don't see the Spirit, and we can't control the Spirit. He’s God.
Vs. 3 - The next sign was that of fire.
- Fire burns away that which is useless.
- Fire purifies.
- Fire warms.
- Fire is powerful.
- Fire can usually be seen.
- The Holy Spirit burns away that which is useless.
- The Holy Spirit purifies us.
- The Holy Spirit warms us.
- The Holy Spirit is powerful.
- Fire can be seen. Perhaps the fire was symbolic of the witness that the believers would have through the Holy Spirit.
What about us today? As believers we are baptized into the Body of Christ the moment we believe. 1 Corinthians 12:13
Romans 8:9
THE DAY
THE DISPLAY
THE DETAILS Vs. 4
This verse tells us what happened to the disciples. Here are the details. It does not say that they were baptized, but obviously they were.
They were all filled with the Holy Spirit. There was no exception. This Jesus promised in John 14:16-18 and
John 16:6-15
We are all to be filled with the Holy Spirit today. There is one Baptism but many fillings.
Ephesians 5:18-21
Galatians 5:16-23
Luke 11:13 - If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”
THE DEMONSTRATION Vss. 5-11
Vs. 5 - There were various groups of devout people in Jerusalem, many of whom were probably there because of the feast.
Vs. 6 - When they heard the sound of the mighty rushing wind, they came to investigate. Every man heard him in his own language. Tongues were known languages.
The listeners understood the speakers.
These were legitimate languages. These were to be a sign to unbelievers that verified that the message was from God.
1 Corinthians 14:22, Hebrews 2:3-4
Vss. 7-11 - Read and comment.
THE DIVISION Vss. 12-13
It was obvious that Galileans were speaking. They were generally considered unlearned.
People wondered what was going on.
Others doubted and mocked accusing them of being drunk.
When we are Spirit Controlled, some will wonder, some will believe some will mock.
THE DAY - Vs. 1
THE DISPLAY Vss. 2-3
THE DETAILS Vs. 4
THE DEMONSTRATION Vss. 5-11
THE DIVISION Vss. 12-13
