Acts 1:4,5; 2
Introduction
: I want to move with you through the Arrival of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and the significance of Pentecost on this Pentecost Sunday 2020.
The prefatory sentence of Acts is followed by a brief summary of what Jesus does and says over the forty days between his resurrection and ascension. Acts 1:1,2. Here, the Lord’s final instructions to his apostles’ function as his ‘last will and testament’ and lend authority to the future work of his chosen successors.
Jesus has spent the last of his days before his crucifixion teaching about the ‘Kingdom of God’.
In
Acts 1:4
, Jesus commanded them (the disciples and others) not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, ‘which’ he said, ‘you have heard from me.’
Three elements to begin:
John 16:7-8
“Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.
8
“And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
(NKJ)
Transition
: Like the ‘Joshua Generation,’ stepping into God’s new plans and purposes, Pentecost initiates and launches the NT Church into it’s new role in history with a fresh and prophetic fulfillment.
Question
: How will God’s salvation go forward with only twelve?
Question
: So, what is the crux of Pentecost Sunday?
I. Pentecost is about Effective Witness and Effective Ministry
– ‘the invigorating source of the communities’ witness in the world.
Greek
Martoos
= martyr. Extreme is death but speaks more of witness.
Peter in Acts 2 – Receives power for effective ministry and witness.
Gifts / Operations of the Spirit
Romans 12:6-8, Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us,
let us use them
: if prophecy,
let us prophesy
in proportion to our faith;
7
or ministry,
let us use it
in
our
ministering; he who teaches, in teaching;
8
he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. (Rom 12:6 NKJ)
1 Corinthians 12:8-10
‘for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,
9
to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same
1
Spirit,
10
to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.’
(NKJ) 1 Corinthians 12:28-30
,
‘And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.
29
Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles?
30
Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?’
(1Co 12:28 NKJ)
Eph. 4:11,
‘
And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,
(Eph 4:11 NKJ)
II. Purpose of Apostolic Mission
– Spirit Baptism is the resource and the engine that drives the great commission / mission.
Matthew 28:19-20
“Go therefore
1
and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20
“teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen
. (NKJ)
Mark 16;17-18,
“And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;
18
“they
1
will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
(NKJ)
Transition
:
III. Apostolic Succession and Authority
Acts 19:15, Seven sons of Sceva – ‘Jesus we know and Paul we know, but who are you?’ (se-va or see-va)
Conclusion
: So, Pentecost is
historic
and
dynamic
! It is
critically relevant
and
contemporarily essential
.
It’s the beginning of the Church and it’s the sign of the end.
Peter quotes Joel, when giving explanation of Jewish foreigners coming to Jerusalem when they see and witness Spirit baptism among 120.
‘In the last days…I will pour out my spirit on all flesh…signs in heavens above, signs in earth beneath, blood and fire and vapor of smoke, sun turned into darkness, moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. And it shall come to pass that all who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved!’
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